Pride of the force - How we grew Lae’s rapid police response unit
10 April 2019
ANTHONY WAGAMBIE | My Land, My Country
The Lae Police Sector Response Unit (SRU) was launched to deter criminals who took advantage of weak policing in Papua New Guinea’s second largest city. Since it was set up, Lae police command has been monitoring the results. Average response time is now between five and ten minutes.
LAE - I took a gamble in forming the new unit. We selected a bunch of very young probationary constables with just over a year in the field.
We put them in with experienced non-commissioned officers, the majority of whom were former Mobile Squad and Lae Rapid Response members.
I told them, “You guys will make it or break it. If you fail and I fail, I will be dealt with!”
We nurtured them, me being in the field and taking command myself to make sure the SRU operated the way I wanted. Now my boys are very experienced and everything is in place.
I am proud of all of them. Yes we have one or two who step out of line. But the guys have done me proud.
It’s like a father watching his child take his first steps until he can walk unaided.
We took Inspector David Kumayon, who was Commander Mobile Squad 13, and moved him to command SRU Lae. We then increased the strength to the current 74 men.
Never before have we had 24/7 police armed response coverage of the city.
Sections of SRU have also been deployed out of the Lae to Morobe rural, Kurumbukari (Madang), Madang town unrest, Bogia (Madang) and Kainantu in the Eastern Highlands.
Now I don’t personally take command of the unit as much as I used to. I do that only for major incidents or operations.
It gives me personal pride when I see and hear people praising SRU for all that they do. Yes, they do extremely well.
SRU has become the strength of Lae Metropolitan Command and they are here to stay even after I leave my beautiful Lae City.
Anthony Wagambie is the Police Metropolitan Superintendent of Lae
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