The controller of the 800 strong police and army team sent into Papua New Guinea's Southern Highlands under state of emergency regulations, says they intend restoring public confidence and ensuring the people get basic services.
PNG's number two policeman, deputy commissioner, Gari Baki, says people illegally on the adminstration's payroll will be arrested along with those implicated in criminal activity by the provincial audit report.
Police will also follow up other outstanding crimes, hunt down prison escapers and provide a police presence in the outer districts of the province.
Deputy commissioner Baki says a dusk to dawn curfew now applies.
"However on the operational front we would like to see that it is target driven and when we have a contingency in one particular area, we will impose a curfew. Basically, the reason is this, the Southern Highlands is too big for us to police."
