Police officers must have blue permits to drive police vehicles

Many police officers around the country are still driving police vehicles without a Police Blue Permit.

This, however; will soon be a thing of the past as the Royal PNG Constabulary revives driving lessons for officers to help address this concern.

Senior Inspector Daniel Apuau, Manager of the Police Driving School at the RPNGC National Centre of Excellence, formerly the Bomana Police College, revealed this during last Friday's presentation of Police Blue Permits to more than 30 policemen in Madang Province.

The policemen had completed a two- weeks training before they were issued their blue permits.

Senior Inspector Apuau said, "The Blue Permit Driving School used to be part of the Basic Driving School at Bomana in the past but no longer. From the past years, it was never separated from the Basic Driving School. We now have a program that we are rolling out to the provinces, and Madang was the second to get this training. The first was Milne Bay.

He said previously it was a combined driving program, and the Blue Permit Driving was usually the last part of the training.

Last week, 30 policemen in Madang Province were presented their Police Blue Permits after undergoing two weeks driving training.

This will now enable them to drive police vehicles.

However, Provincial Police Commander for Madang, Acting Superintendent Robert Baim told them having a Blue Permit doesn't give them the absolute right to drive police vehicles unless permitted by their NCOs or supervisors.

PPC Baim also thanked the trainers for making time available for his policemen.

He stated, "It's a very timely course as Madang police prepare to receive a new fleet of vehicles from the Madang Provincial Government. This training has prepared us well, and I'd like to thank the trainers for making time available for my men despite your busy schedule."

Meanwhile, Director of Corporate Services, Superintendent Steven Bunga, said the RPNGC is now beginning to roll out certain trainings to the provinces instead of concentrating in Port Moresby only.

Speaking on behalf of the ACP Training, Superintendent Bunga said, "On the part of the National Centre of Excellence supporting whatever course necessary to be rolled out outside of Port Moresby, that is what we want to do. One of these is the Blue Permit Driving training. We are actually mapping out trainings that will equip you with the necessary skills to do your jobs efficiently. With so many changes taking place within the RPNGC, officers need to be refreshed on a lot of things."

With the Blue Permit Driving training, Superintendent Bunga said there are too many police officers in the county driving police vehicles without the Blue Permits, and it is necessary they must have them.