Morobe Governor Kelly Naru welcomes AFP officers to Lae

Morobe Governor Kelly Naru welcomed 13 members of the Australian Federal Police at the Sir Ignatius Stadium in Lae, Morobe Province.

The AFP officers were accompanied by their commander Assistant Commissioner Alan Scott, Acting Police Commissioner Simon Kauba and Australian High Commissioner Ms Deborah Stokes.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for our policemen and women in Lae to learn from our AFP colleagues,” Acting Police Commissioner Kauba said. AFP Assistant Commissioner Alan Scott said that the AFP officers will be working alongside their colleagues from the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) as advisors and mentors in Lae, Morobe Province. “The residents of Lae can expect to see AFP officers out and about over the next few weeks in markets, shopping areas and other parts of Lae, working closely with their RPNGC counterparts,” Assistant Commissioner Scott said. “Our partnership is focusing on community policing, station management and supervision, community liaison, traffic operations and criminal investigations.

“The AFP officers will be on patrol in stations mentoring and providing advice to RPNGC officers. While they have no formal policing powers, the close working relationships will see real benefits for day to day policing in Lae. “Some of the AFP officers arriving in Lae have already been out with local police in a number of locations across Port Moresby and the feedback I have received has been very positive,” said Assistant Commissioner Scott. Phase IV of the PNG-Australia Policing Partnership will see and additional 50 AFP officers working alongside the RPNGC by the end of this year.