Papua New Guinea's Police Commissioner has defended the Force over criticism officers aren't held accountable for human rights abuses and criminal behaviour.
Gary Baki's comments follow the recent claims by US-based Human Rights Watch that use of torture, sexual assault and excessive force are common practice by PNG police officers.
However Commissioner Baki says PNG police have been unfairly singled out by the NGO for what he calls a society-wide problem with violence and rights violations.
He says the NGO's claims are based on reports from around four years ago and the Force has established more accountability among officers
"I'm not saying for one minute that I'm protecting the behaviour of my men. No, I am not. And as far as I am concerned if men are found to be violating the constitutional rights of people that they're dealing with, they will be dealt with, as simple as that. But to go and put a blanket cover and say that the constabulary is embedded with all those sorts of violations is unfair."
Gary Baki
