Kiwi officers mentor local police

The Bougainville Community Policing Project currently involves five NZ Police officers based in Papua New Guinea.

Inspector Roly Williams, Manager Overseas Assistance Programmes, says the group left New Zealand at the end of April. Contingent Commander Superintendent Athol Soper (Wellington) will spend 12 months on the island of Bougainville and the other four will have their return dates staggered from next month onwards.

With Athol are Sergeants Dallas Crampton (Wellington), Craig Edge (Canterbury), David Robertson (North Shore) and Senior Constable Hine Sullivan (Kapiti Coast). Two are based in Arawa and three (including Athol) are in Buka.

The Kiwis work in pairs as advisors and are establishing a training package for Village Community Auxiliary Police who are part of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. “They have been selected by the community within their villages and elected as local police officers,” says Roly. “They have no experience – we will train them in community policing.”

The second rotation of NZ Police personnel will leave for Bougainville in October, another at the end of the year and a fourth in February.

Accommodation is in rented houses and although conditions are basic, they are comfortable, says Roly. “It has idyllic surroundings with the expected hardships such as roading, or rather the lack of it. There are few commercial or retail outlets, but shipping in freight is the norm.” He says there is travel available to Port Moresby and each person also has a 10-day, out-of-country holiday during their deployment.

The current contingent has been mentoring local police, as well as establishing venues and systems to begin training. The next group, however, will focus on delivering training to the Village Community Auxiliary police.

The Bougainville Community Policing Project (BCPP) was born out of the earlier Bougainville Peace Agreement where leaders sought to establish community-based policing. It is a three phase operation, the first beginning in 2000, the second in 2002 and the third this year.