Morobe police seek permanent headquarters

Morobe Provincial Police Command is seeking permanent headquarters in Lae after decades of operating from rented offices.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police for Northern Command, Chief Superintendent Samson Siguyaru, says land has been identified in Lae for a stand-alone provincial police headquarters.

Siguyaru says the provincial command has been operating from rented premises previously used by the Works Department, with no major maintenance or refurbishment carried out on the building for years.

He says the provincial command and Lae Metropolitan Command have separate responsibilities, with Lae Metro responsible for policing Lae City while the provincial command oversees law and order across Morobe’s nine districts.

Siguyaru says the establishment of Lae Metro Command left the provincial command without a dedicated headquarters to coordinate its responsibilities across the province.

He says securing land for a permanent provincial police headquarters has been a priority raised by previous provincial police commanders.

“One of my priorities was to build a stand-alone provincial police headquarters in Lae. I have been trying to secure land, and there was a bit of a breakthrough. The provincial government has identified land within Lae City,” Siguyaru says.

He says the need for permanent facilities also extends to the Northern Division headquarters, which currently operates from rented office space in Lae’s Top Town area.

Siguyaru says the long-term cost of renting office space should be considered as police and the Morobe Provincial Government explore options for developing permanent facilities.

“If we put together how many months, how many years we’ve been renting, it’s already equivalent to two provincial and divisional headquarters built,” he says.

Siguyaru says police have made efforts to improve the working environment at their current premises, but major work on the building requires consultation with the relevant authorities.

He says closer coordination between the police administration and the Morobe Provincial Government will be important to progress plans for permanent headquarters.

The proposed facilities would provide a long-term base for the provincial command and Northern Division, supporting police administration and operations across Morobe’s nine districts and its extensive land and maritime areas.