Papua New Guinea police brutality

(Above: PNG police parade at Kimininga, Mount Hagen, WHP)

Police brutality in Papua New Guinea is prevalent. We appreciate the tireless efforts shown by most policemen and women to contain law and order situations in the country. However, a few members of the police force are acting beyond their constitutional duties to harass innocent people among the general public.

Not only these cowards are using the police uniforms to quench their lustful hidden agendas but also making a mockery out of the police force in Papua New Guinea.
The constant harassment of these irritate policemen on the general public is causing the people to loose their trust, confidence, and hope on these very police force in Papua New Guinea who suppose to enforce the laws of Papua New Guinea and nothing else. Some of these policemen get drunk even though they know that they were going to work the next day. Others get drunk during the day when driving police vehicles or attending complaints lodged by the people.

Before the situation gets out of hand, the police hierarchy should install some discipline within the police force so that the people of Papua New Guinea can have full confidence, trust, and hope in the police force. On the same token, bribery and back-door-deals are on the rise within the police force. I was in Mount Hagen last year to lodge a complaint so I asked one of the policeman on duty but he refused to attend to my request. After I gave him a K50, he told me to return after couple of hours and hear from him.

The impression that I got from all these is that, services are provided free of charge but you got to pay for what you ask when the very people who are paid either by the government or companies to do their jobs turn around and ask you to pay/buy them cigarettes, bettlenuts, etc... before they can attend to your request/need. This is a dangerous trend in Papua New Guinea. Another classic example is, the foreign affairs department. If you want your passport within a day, you got to get through the back door to give some Tom, Dick, and Harry some cash. Otherwise, you got to wait for decades. Fellow Papua New Guineans, lets speak up and get rid of this 'pay me or else you'll not get it' mentality.


God bless PNG.