Supt. Singura bows out after serving the force for 32 years

After 32 years with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, Morobe Provincial Police Commander Superintendent Jacob Singura officially handed over office and vehicle keys to his successor, Chief Inspector Yonga Yawongan, and bowed out gracefully this week.

From a man studying his Bachelor’s Degree in Education at the University of Papua New Guinea to become a teacher turned top cop, Supt Singura said he is satisfied because he has used up most of his youthful years to put in the best of his efforts to serve in the RPNGC.

Superintendent Singura, 55 from Yaraboim village Yangoru district in the East Sepik province, began his policing career on January 12th, 1993 at the age of 23, after cutting short his third year of a Bachelor’s Degree in Education at the University of Papua New Guinea [UPNG].

At the time he joined, the officer cadet program had been on hold for over a decade.

His intake, known as Squad 1, was the first batch of direct-entry cadets accepted from outside the force after being dormant for 10 to 15 years.

The training was rigorous and demanding as he recalled, cadets began at 4 am and finished at midnight and continued the next day, a routine that continued for three years. Of the original 35 recruits, only 15, including Singura successfully graduated on October 24th, 1995.

They were commissioned directly as Inspectors of Police, groomed to become disciplined, fit and capable leaders from day one.

“I was studying education. I wanted to become a teacher,” Singura recalled.

“When I joined the force, I thought I would serve as an instructor due to my education background, but I was assigned straight to the field after graduation.”

His first posting was to the Public Safety Unit in Mt. Hagen in 1996. Later that year, he became the Highlands Commander of Mobile Squad 6, where he served for 10 years.

Towards the end of 1999, he was transferred to the Tomaringe Mobile Squad in East New Britain as the Commander of Squad 15. It was during this time that he led one of the mobile squads deployed to Bougainville to restore peace.

“We worked with the peace monitoring teams from New Zealand, Australia and the United Nations to encourage disarmament and set the pace for freedom and peace on Bougainville. Our mission was to ensure there was no more war,” he said.

That phase gave him one of his proudest moments in 1996 while based in Arawa, when the St. Austin’s Peace Monitoring Group formally commended him for his tremendous efforts in helping to restore peace in Bougainville.

“To receive such a commendation was an honour and an acknowledgement of the effort I was putting in. It made me push on,” he said.

Singura recalled commanding Mobile Squad 9 during a time of heightened national tension.

“The constabulary protected the democracy of this country. I stood tall as the Mobile Squad Commander, regardless of the challenges we faced with the PNGDF military on one side and us on the other. It was a tough moment, but one I’m proud of. My squad ensured that Parliament and the Prime Minister were protected while restoring peace.”

A strict and disciplined leader, Singura did not tolerate misconduct.

“I took my job seriously and don’t tolerate nuisance. I was a no-nonsense commander. I once had to physically punch one of my own men in Bougainville for drinking and going off track and had him deported back to Mt. Hagen. We were in a high-risk operational area to restore peace, and there was no room for such behavior.”

Despite starting his policing career without finishing his degree, he studied and worked his way around his policing duties, and eventually completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Education in 2011.

Since 2009, Singura has travelled extensively across the country in the role of PPC for 16 years.
Looking back on his service of 32 years, 6 months and 19 days, Singura reflected on the personal sacrifices involved.

“Being in the force for this long, I realize that this job doesn’t give you enough time to spend with your family. You are on call day in and day out. I have served my time and this is where I bow out,” he said.

When asked why he chose to retire just a month before Papua New Guinea’s 50th Independence celebrations on September 16th he said, “I want to be stress free before then so I can celebrate wholeheartedly. To be honest I did give it some thought and finally decided, that witnessing the 50th is once in a lifetime and I want to be there with my family to celebrate."

Singura extended his gratitude to both past and current police commissioners for recognizing his potential, and for trusting him with leadership roles over the years. He also made a special mention thanking the Assistant Commissioner of Police for Northern Command, Peter Guinness.

After more than three decades of service marked by discipline, courage and unwavering dedication, Superintendent Jacob Singura departs the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, commitment and service.