The team of five senior police officials were in the country to learn about the RPNG and how it carries out its operations. The officials from the Policia National Timor Lester or National Police of Timor Leste arrived in Lae last week after coming through Port Moresby.
PNTL Deputy Commissioner of Administration Inspector Herique Da Costa said they were in PNG to draw from the wealth of experience from the RPNG as their country was just eight years old.
He said Timor Leste has a population of almost one million and 13 districts with a police force of 3,100 personnel to combat crime in the country.
Da Costa said they came to learn from the RPNG because it was a very old establishment. He said things they were interested in were logistics and how to decentralize the police to the thirteen districts in the country.
“Timor Leste is a very young country with a young police force. We came to learn how to manage our force and prepare for the future,” Da Costa said.
Asked why they did not choose a developed country, Da Costa said PNG was much like Timor Leste and they were going through the same problems that were experienced by the RPNG.
Mamose police chief Giossi Labi briefed the visitors about the problems faced in PNG, lessons learned and what needs to be done.
“We have told the good and bad sides faced by our police to help them develop their police force,” Labi said.
The delegates visited the Lae Central Police Station, Bumbu Barracks, China Town Police Station and the Morobe Provincial Command.
