The positive feedback from Port Moresby City residents on the City Wardens Initiative has prompted the National Capital District Commission (NCDC) to increase the number of city wardens and have them operate all across the city.
A total of 150 youths has been recruited at the start the week and are undergoing a 3-day basic training before being certified as city wardens. Of the total, 4 of them are females.
The training is being conducted by Zero Alpha Security Solutions (ZASS), a locally owned company that specializes in security training. The youths will undergo basic training such as understanding their roles as wardens, code of conduct, dress code, health and hygiene, dealing with lost & found items, restraining & searching techniques, dealing with mentally incapacitated persons and children, communication skills, conflict resolution, observation and reporting techniques and basic legal knowledge and compliance.
ZASS Managing Director, Murray Oa, said these skills are necessary because most of these youths have not completed formal education, and so they need to be properly trained so they can assist the public and at the same time perform their duties within their jurisdiction.
“The trainings are designed in a way that is easily understood. It’s more of an interactive session where we talk, they talk, and we discuss to find solutions,” said Oa.
The basic training will go on for 3-4 days, then they will be put to work for some time and come back for advanced training in things like first aid and firefighting and also have officers from the Road Transport Authority and the police have sessions with them on road safety regulations since they will be working with all these authorities in keeping the city safe.
Oa himself has over 15 years of military experience and is being assisted by fellow defence force officers who are on holiday to conduct the training with the city wardens. He said another 150 youths are expected to undergo similar training next week.