The lack of proper operational and housing facilities for police personnel throughout most of the Morobe Rural Division is a hindrance to effective policing efforts in the province, said Morobe Acting-Provincial Police Commander, Chief Inspector John Daviaga.
Chief Inspector Daviaga said there are districts in the province which require separate police station facilities capable of catering for their vast populaces.
“In Kabwum for example, officers are utilizing a small office space within the district office itself as the police station.”
“There should be a stand-alone police building for each district big enough to attend to the needs of the citizens, including having CID personnel on ground.”
Pre-existing police housing at various rural locations throughout the province is uninhabitable at most, being run down and lacking basic utilities, the Acting PPC further added.
This in turn, Daviaga said, adds to the lack of police personnel present to attend to cases locally which sees most serious cases having to be referred to Bulolo or Lae for processing.
The Acting-PPC is appealing to the respective authorities and local members to step in and assist police where necessary to ensure that law and order is maintained in the province.