(Report by Police Media Officer Andrew Philip.)
Simbu Provincial Police Commander Epenes Nili says he will come down hard on any policemen who steps out of line.
Mr Nili made this comment following the arrest of a policeman attached to the Kundiawa Police Station for driving allegedly under the influence of alcohol and knocking over four men along the Kundiawa Highway on March 18.
“The four victims were taken to the Kundiawa Hospital. Three were discharged from the Hospital whilst one victim who sustained a broken leg is still recovering in the hospital. Fortunately, no one lost their lives.
“We will lay appropriate charges on the policeman once all witness statements are collected. The policeman is in custody.
“The police Officer in Charge (OIC) of Traffic is visiting the victim at the hospital from time to time to monitor the situation,” Mr Nili said.
Mr Nili has assured the relatives of the victims that appropriate charges would be laid against the policeman.
PPC Nili said policemen by nature of their jobs are supposed to follow the law and set the examples. He said we police the laws and we should know better. He said there is no excuse. He has so far issued dismissals noticess to a number of policemen for illegal or wrongful conduct and he will not hesitate to charge policemen administratively or criminally if they step out of line.
Mr Nili said it is unfortunate that the policeman is one of those engaged in his “Take Back Kundiawa Program from illegal drugs and homebrew” and was driving the vehicle given by the Simbu Provincial government to Kundiawa police for this program when the accident happened.
“We have dedicated and committed policemen and women in the province and this unfortunate and isolated incident will not deter us from continuing to provide a professional policing service to the people of Simbu,” Mr Nili said.
