Former Madang police chief back to farewell station he led for 8 years

Robert Kalasim, a former Provincial Police Commander in Madang for eight years, will join incumbent PPC Superintendent Robert Baim, Madang Governor Ramsey Pariwa and local police officers tomorrow [Friday] to witness the decommissioning of the old Madang Town Police Station.

Mr Kalasim told NBC News, he was the last Provincial Police Commander to have served in the old police station in Madang Town before the office of the PPC was moved to Jomba Police Station in 1997.

"I am happy I have been invited by PPC Baim to join him and the governor in witnessing the decommissioning of the old police station as that is where I served for 8 years as the PPC for Madang," he said.

Mr Kalasim, during his tenure as PPC Madang, held the Chief Superintendent rank.

Until today, he still boasts highly of two outstanding accomplishments Madang police had achieved under his command and while serving in the rundown police station.

They were the Pacific Island Police Commissioner's Conference and the first attachment of foreign police advisers from Australia, New Zealand, and England between 1996 and 1997.

He recalled Madang police during that time had a very cooperative working attitude in terms of sharing ideas with the federal police.

Also, during his term as PPC, Kalasim signed for three major police projects in Madang- the Jomba Police Station, Clifton Police Barracks, and the female police barracks.

The projects were successfully delivered to Madang police by AIDAB or the Australian International Development Assistance Bureau in 1997.

He, however; opted to continue commanding from the town police station until he resigned in the same year after the completion of the three projects.

Kalasim, from New Ireland Province, described the current location of the town police station as ideal, as it is within the town's Central Business District area, where people can easily access its services.

He also acknowledged the hard-working police officers who worked under his command, especially in the likes of Steven Kaipa, John Kamya, who was OIC CID, Mr Noah [rural police], his assistant Mr Manoa, and late James Kupi, who was his Police Station Commander.