PNG Police must resolve this divided force

NATIONAL Capital District metropolitan police commander superintendent N’Dranou Perou must be commended for the step he has taken to broker a truce between two factions in the Royal Police Constabulary.
This rift in the ranks was exposed during the recent political stand-off between Prime Minister Peter O’Neill and the national fraud squad and anti-corruption unit, which at the behest of Task Force Sweep’s Sam Koim, was in the process of serving an arrest warrant on the country’s top leader.
But Perou’s attempt at bringing about dialogue between the two groups has been met with scorn by assistant police commissioner Jim Andrews.
According to him the move is “totally unnecessary” and he has gone as far as accusing Perou of misleading the public.
Andrews deemed Perou’s actions as counter-productive to the situation within the force, claiming over the weekend that only a few members of the fraud squad were not toeing the line and in fact undermining the recently-appointed commissioner Geoffrey Vaki.
He may have a point about the number of individuals involved but not the size of the problem because it exists and has seen the force (particularly its operational hierarchy) teeter on the edge of instability. 
The overlaying problem is that the rule of law, the country’s ultimate rule book the Constitution has been undermined by Parliament. And it has been this uncertainty that has fuelled confusion in the force.
It is only natural to want to put up a united front in times of trouble, especially when a state body has been the source of unrest as much as the police force has, but refusing to address a problem that has clearly left the force questioning itself is a sign that those in power are either too arrogant or have no appreciation for what has transpired over the past two months.
It is as if they are in denial.
The problem with ignoring the issue is that it will not disappear but stay on in a dormant state until the next situation arises that causes the force to split in opinion and motive.  
Andrews said the commissioner had more import­ant matters to focus on than worrying himself with meetings that had no relevance.
Perhaps Andrews has a selective memory when it comes to the number of times the constabulary has found itself having to enforce control and discipline within its own ranks when national politics was involved.
Despite Andrews’ orders to police personnel to disregard the meeting call, the two groups in question have already agreed to meet.
Perou’s intentions seem genuine enough. “We hope to find a common ground to ease this ten­sion among us so police continue to perform their constitutional duties,” Perou said.
Perou’s decision to step forward and be the man in the middle shows that he has the force’s interest at heart whereas Andrews seems to be content with the status quo. Could he really be that much out of touch with the feeling in the force, among his own colleagues?
Even if Andrews is proven right it cannot hurt to have this meeting.
Perou’s other concern is that the constant ructions in the force has done little for public confidence.
“I’m calling on all police men and women in NCD and police headquarters to work together now,” Perou said. “This is something that is causing unnecessary fear to the public.”
Assistant Police Commissioner Crimes Thomas Eluh laid the blame for the force’s internal strife on a political element.
The point that needs to be made here is that division in the force is real and has revealed itself, not just in the latest episode, but over the past three years.
To put it bluntly, whenever there has been some kind of political upheaval the police have a presented a divided front.
Surely, Andrews knows this and can appreciate the need for some kind of meeting and dialogue within force.
Saying that there is no need for a meeting is denying that a problem exists or at the very least down playing a festering issue.
It is time for the police force to put aside their differences (political and professional) and unite for the good of the people they are entrusted to serve.

 

PNG Today / The National