Various government departments in East New Britain Province have been urged to provide intervention to address the rising rate of unemployed youths.
The call was made by the Acting Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector Gabriel Bandy, following the escape of six remandees from the Kerevat Correctional Institute.
Acting PPC Bandy stressed though it is only the beginning of the year, they are already reporting crimes of armed robbery and murder.
The Acting PPC believes other government departments within ENB can assist police by providing some intervention to address the ever-increasing rate of unemployed youths.
Further, another trend seen in the province is that more criminals are using factory made weapons unlike in the past, where mostly homemade guns are utilised.
“These guns are owned by individuals who either lost them or reported it stolen,” said Chief Inspector Bandy.
“We will still deal with the owners for negligence.
“The criminals are now using these stolen guns to commit crimes, especially armed robberies. Our crime rate for armed robberies in ENBP is very high.”
Chief Inspector Bandy said the escape of inmates is another burden for police in the province to hunt for them again, as they are busy attending to issues at Nangananga ward in the Raluana LLG of Kokopo District, while Kunakunai and Gelegele areas are quiet at the moment.
The ratio of police in the province from a 2017 report was 1 police officer to 130,000 people, which has surpassed the United Nations standard and universally accepted ratio of 1 police officer to 400 people.