Warning shots not allowed

Police officers are not allowed to use their firearms unnecessarily unless the incident they are attending to is intense and beyond their control.

The Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary [RPNGC] has been enforcing and encouraging the non-lethal method of handling police work, however there are some officers who remain arrogant and refuse to adapt and comply to the changes that are happening within the police force.

NCD/Central Commander Benjamin Turi made these comments following the shooting of a young woman yesterday at the Waigani Market in Port Moresby.

The young woman identified as Sandy Purel from Mendi in the Southern Highlands Province was passing through Waigani at the time when a police car was chasing vendors away from the bus stops and she was shot with a pistol by a police officer who shot into the crowd.

Mr. Turi says there is no such thing as “warning shots” in the books for police and firing bullets in situations where it is manageable can lead to innocent people getting shot like what happened to the young woman that lost her life.

Shooting angle queried

The Investigation into the death of Sandy Purel who was shot at Waigani yesterday afternoon started today with police investigators questioning why the accused police officer fired the gun straight into the crowd instead of shooting into the air.

NCD/Central Commander says this kind of behavior from a trained police officer bothers him and he is looking forward to the interview that is yet to be done by the Criminal Investigation Division.
The officer in questioned has been identified and he is part of the NCD Task Force Team.

He has been locked up at the Boroko Cell while the CID started their investigations today.