CIC boasts first police reserve graduation

Police Commissioner Gari Baki recently witnessed the passing out parade of the Coffee Industry Corporation’s (CIC) first ever reserve police unit at Aiyura, Eastern Highlands Province.

The CIC Reserve Police Unit, consisting of 31 police reservists, passed out with flying colours on February 16.

The CIC made the initial approach to the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) for the unit to be set up in a bid to protect the coffee industry as well as safeguard its assets and personnel at the CIC.

Commissioner Baki was happy that the CIC had forged this partnership with the RPNGC to address law and order issues in the country.

Baki said the CIC reserve unit had helped the Constabulary get closer to achieving one of its objectives, which is to increase police strength to reach the United Nation’s accepted police to citizen ratio of one policeman for every 450 citizen.

Commissioner Baki said the graduation of the 31 CIC Reserve Police helps to increase police visibility, presence and strength. He said the presence and visibility of police can deter and prevent crime, reassure citizens and allow them to confidently, freely and safely move about.  

He said the event was an achievement for the 31 police reservists, their families, CIC and its coffee growers, the RPNGC and PNG as a whole. 

Amongst the 31 police reservists was the CIC Chief Executive Officer, Reserve Senior Sergeant CIC-2001 Charles Dambui, who was also the parade host for the event.

Dambui was very grateful to the RPNGC for its commitment. He made mention of the many challenges that the K700 million coffee industry in PNG faced, one of which was law and order, which triggered the interest in a police reserve unit.

Dambui said dealing with coffee growers is not easy because coffee is a cash crop where money is generated, thus many are tempted to commit theft and fraud or break some rules of which CIC had in place.

He said the training of the police reservists was part of CIC’s effort to make CIC relevant to take ongoing and emerging challenges.

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Dambui told his fellow colleagues that they have all graduated as police reservists and that came with a lot of respect. He said they must keep in mind that they all have a responsibility now to perform.

He urged them to demonstrate that they are truly law abiding citizens and perform their responsibility not only when they are executing CIC roles and functions, but starting in their homes and families.

Commissioner Baki also made it clear that law and order is everyone’s business and through this Reserve Policing concept, citizens are now empowered to police the communities.

He reminded the 31 police reservists that discipline is the key for success.

He was proud upon seeing their standard of uniforms and encouraged them to dress well when going on duties.

(The 31 CIC police reservists, along with the invited guests and the guest of honour, Commissioner for Police Gari Baki)

Author: 
Press release