The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) has increased its recruit intake from 300 to 500 per batch, following the opening of new infrastructure at the Bomana National Centre of Excellence (NCoE), as part of the government’s plan to grow the police force to 10,000 personnel by 2030.
The additional recruitment drive is currently underway at the Bomana NCoE in the National Capital District (NCD), targeting applicants from NCD, Central and Gulf provinces.
RPNGC management confirmed that from 2026 onwards, intake numbers are expected to rise further to approximately 700 recruits per batch, supporting ongoing Law and Justice Sector reforms.
In December 2025, a public call-out invited applications for the special intake. A total of 7,696 applications were submitted through the RPNGC online portal. Of these, 2,711 applicants were shortlisted.
The remaining applicants were unsuccessful due to missing documents, low grades in Mathematics and English, exceeding the age limit, or failing to meet other recruitment criteria.
Of the 2,711 shortlisted candidates, 2,086 are from NCD, 463 from Central Province, and 162 from Gulf Province. Recruitment for NCD applicants began on Monday, 9 February 2026, at the Bomana NCoE and is expected to conclude this week before the team moves to Central and Gulf provinces.
Successful candidates from this drive will join the second batch of 2025 recruits from the Highlands and New Guinea Islands regions for police training scheduled to begin in April 2026.
The recruitment process includes screening and validation of documents and height requirements, literacy and comprehension testing, interviews, medical examinations, practical training tests, and character reference checks.
From the 2,086 shortlisted NCD applicants, 1,638 attended the screening and validation stage, while 448 did not report. Following document verification, 518 candidates were disqualified for failing to present a National Identification (NID) card, submitting fraudulent documents, or not meeting height requirements.
Police also uncovered nine cases involving falsified documents. According to RPNGC officials, the individuals identified small printing companies and persons allegedly responsible for producing the forged documents.
Police have confirmed that investigations will be conducted, and criminal charges pursued against those involved in producing fake documents. All fraudulent documents were confiscated, and the applicants concerned were cautioned and dismissed from the recruitment process.
To strengthen the integrity of future recruitment drives, the RPNGC will engage a Criminal Investigation Detective Team to thoroughly investigate and prosecute applicants who submit fraudulent documents. Authorities reiterated that producing fake documents is a criminal offence.
The Constabulary says the increased intake marks a significant step toward strengthening national security capacity and meeting long-term policing targets. Further announcements regarding the 2026 nationwide recruitment call-out are expected at a later date.
