216 police recruits embark on intensive six-month training

A group of 216 new police recruits [192 men and 24 women] will soon begin a six-month training program at the Bomana National Center of Excellence, just outside Port Moresby.

Acting Police Commissioner Dr. Philip Mitna officially launched the program today, joined by Acting Assistant Commissioner for Police Training, Perou N’Dranou, and other training instructors.

Dr. Mitna welcomed the recruits and emphasized the crucial role of discipline in their journey. He warned that disciplinary issues would lead to immediate removal from the program, a decision under the authority of Acting Commandant Perou N’Dranoh.

“We’re dismissing, on average, four to six recruits monthly. For a police force of around 6,000, against a population of 15 to 16 million, that’s concerning,” he said.

“You are part of the solution to fill that gap, but your progress depends on your discipline during this training.”

Addressing the recruits, Acting Commandant N’Dranou reminded them that the training marks a pivotal chapter in their lives, challenging them to reflect on whether policing is truly their calling.

“Becoming a police officer isn’t difficult, we all went through it. Don’t resist the system, embrace it,” he said.

“You are a privileged few, selected from over 8,000 applicants.”

He also acknowledged public criticism police often face and encouraged the recruits to strive for excellence and to make their families proud.

Meanwhile, this is the second intake of 2023 which was deferred to this year due to unprecedented issues that delayed the 2023 police recruit training.

The duration of the training has been cut down from 9 months to 6 months with new training courses to be introduced during the training.