David Manning

Acting Commissioner Manning signed the MoA at the National Police Headquarters in Port Moresby with Governor Gary Juffa. The signing was witnessed by staff from the Oro Provincial Government and senior police officers.

Manning said the MoA was significant for the Constabulary in that it would allow the constabulary to further engage with communities to develop more workable strategies in addressing law and order in and around PNG.

He has directed additional police reinforcements and detectives to Tari to investigate the shooting.

He said the killers must be arrested and the stolen police issued firearms recovered.

Manning brushed aside suggestions that this could have been payback killing for the alleged police shootings at Erima in the National Capital District.

This is in a bid to improve police response time and deter crime.

Acting Police Commissioner, David Manning, said the plan is to get this initiative rolling with the Chamber of Commerce in Port Moresby before doing the same for the other major centres throughout the country.

“The proposal to install distress call buttons connecting major business houses with the main police operations centre will prompt police to respond immediately and accurately when businesses come under criminal attack.

The signing ceremony, which took place at the National Police Headquarters at Konedobu in the National Capital District, was witnessed by senior officials from the PNG Defence Force, the National Fisheries Authority, the PNG Australia Policing Partnership and the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary.

Acting Commissioner Manning said this has brought a sigh of relief to police families there after years of living in unhygienic conditions.

Manning said ongoing blockages to the sewerage system and water outages caused a lot of concerns, especially with the residents and the RPNGC management until Police Minister Bryan Kramer personally intervened to get the government's attention.

The September 28^th raid sparked off a confrontation with settlers resulting in two deaths.

Manning said the suspension is normal procedure undertaken by the Constabulary in any administrative or criminal investigation.

“This number I am told is increasing on a daily basis as we have people coming in from the other provinces,” Manning said in a press briefing regarding the Erima disturbance.

“Unplanned settlements are increasing at an alarming rate and if not contained will pose a serious law and order challenge for the NCD police.

“We cannot develop this city by holding onto the current attitude and behaviour that we currently have.

Though he appreciates the opportunity and confidence in him, he says he will not take his appointment lightly.

“We now have an opportunity to set a solid foundation as to how best we can rebuild the constabulary,” Manning stated.

“And I think this is our approach, in the interim, to rebuild the constabulary. We are well aware of the challenges and if it takes the whole 7,000 members of the constabulary to drive those changes then that is what we are planning to do, every rank and file.”

This follows a National Executive Council decision to revoke the acting appointment of Francis Tokura.

Police Minister Bryan Kramer said the National Executive Council made the decision on the night of September 2^nd to reinstate Francis Tokura to his substantive position as the deputy commissioner of police in the Autonomous Region of Bougainville as well as the chief of Bougainville Police Service.

This is to ensure inmates are securely transported to court on time and court cases are heard and expedited in a timely manner, says Chief of Police Operations, Acting Deputy Commissioner David Manning.

Manning said this on August 14^th when he took delivery of three brand new robustly kitted prison vans from the PNG Australia Policing Partnership (PNG-APP) Mission Commander, Assistant Commissioner Bruce Giles, in Port Moresby.