Gari Baki

Political leaders must address Hela situation: Baki

Baki says this issue has blown out of proportion and it needs to be addressed before another state of emergency, or call out, is required.  

He said collective effort is needed at this point. It is not an issue concerning security or police anymore, and unless there is a matter of law and order, police can only do so much.

Baki said security can be provided. Personnel have already been deployed however, the police hierarchy cannot afford to constantly deploy a large number of personnel every time issues of this nature arise.

Baki maintains no force to be used in Manus Refugee relocation

Commissioner Baki said the remaining refugees will be convinced to leave the centre on their own free will.

During the weekend, none of the refugees and asylum seekers made any attempts to voluntarily leave the decommissioned Centre at Lombrum.

The PNG officials on Manus including police used a translator from Lebenon to convince the refugees to voluntarily move to their new locations.

Work together, end domestic violence: Baki

Police Commissioner Gari Baki made this comment following the death of Post-Courier’s senior journalist, Rosalyn Albaniel Evara, allegedly from injuries sustained from domestic violence.

“Family, friends and colleagues and even strangers cannot turn a blind eye to domestic violence any longer. They have a duty to intervene and take action,” he says.

“Every member of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary is also duty bound to take action. Domestic violence is no longer a ‘family issue’. It is a criminal act and perpetrators can and must be prosecuted.

Police to assist with relocation of refugees

Commissioner of Police Gari Baki says although the police manpower is outnumbered by the 718 refugees now on the island, a smooth transfer is expected to take place on Monday, October 31.

Police say there is a small disgruntled faction among the refugees at the Lombrum Navy Base who are creating uncertainty among the rest of the refugees.

“Extra manpower is on standby to be deployed to Manus Island to assist the local police in addition to the two Mobile Squad now on the Island,” says Baki in a statement.

Baki announces transfer directive for senior officers

Commissioner Baki in a statement said he had issued the transfer directives for operational expediency in light of current internal command and control issues and issues arising from the 2017 National General Elections.

Commissioner Baki said his transfer directives are final and he will not accept any refusal from any of the senior officers affected.

“They will take their posts as directed and with immediate effect,” Commissioner Baki said, adding that all movements are supposed to be completed by 31st October this year.

The 26 transfers are as follows:

Baki clarifies role of Australian Defence Force

He said the landing of the two F18 Super hornets by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was to tell the whole world that PNG is ready to host APEC in 2018.

He clarified that Australian Defence Force has been requested by the Joint Task Force team to take over the air security as PNG lacks capability in that area.

“We are down here on the ground and don’t know what is happening up there in the air, and this is the responsibility we are requesting the Australian Defence Force to step in and help.”

Police deaths blamed on EC inconsistency

A disappointed commissioner for police, Gari Baki said all those election issues that have turned to become law and order issues, are results of inconsistency in some of the decisions that were made by the Electoral Commission.

This is by the electoral officials on ground.

“As a result of that, they tend to become law and order problems, and police have to deal with them.”

He said a classical example is the counting of the Southern Highlands boxes being delayed overtime.

Troops to be deployed to Mendi this weekend

Police Commissioner, Gari Baki, says because it is a joint operation, they are finalising logistics and should have the security personals travel either by Friday or Saturday into Mt Hagen and onto Mendi.

He has confirmed that they are looking at stationing 400 to 500 security personals in Southern Highlands Province.

An investigation team will be on ground as well to investigate how the fighting and destruction took place.

 

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Troops to be deployed to SHP

This follows the killing of two police officers during the weekend in what was believed to be an election-related incident.

The reinforcements will also assist in the detection and arrest of the murder suspects.

A team of police investigators, including police forensic officers, are currently in Wabag. They are investigating the July killing of policemen. After that they will travel to Southern Highlands to reconstruct the crime scene.

Commissioner for Police, Gari Baki, confirmed this when speaking to media yesterday.

Baki satisfied with RPNGC’s APEC preps

Commissioner for Police, Gari Baki, told Loop PNG this morning that at the moment, he is happy with the progress of RPNGC in regards to the preparations for the 2018 APEC Summit.

He said RPNGC’s dialogue with partners abroad is ongoing and looks to be very productive.

Baki said an Indonesian team is currently in Port Moresby to look at areas where they could assist RPNGC.

A team has been flown to Vietnam, of which Baki was supposedly to go with yesterday but had to remain back because of the shooting in Southern Highlands Province.