Police manpower will be reduced in Papua New Guinea's provinces outside of the capital in the next week or two.
Assistant Commissioner of Police for Logistic Tony Duwang, Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, Police Commissioner Gari Baki and Enga Provincial Police Commander George Kakas in front of the new Wapenamanda police station (left to right). Picture by Police Media Unit. Photo: Supplied/ Royal PNG Constabulary
A massive multi-national security operation is underway in Port Moresby which is hosting the APEC leaders' summit this weekend.
About 4000 military personnel backed by hundreds of mainly local police will patrol the city during the two-day summit and in the days around it.
PNG's Police Commissioner Gary Baki said he was confident that police in the rest of the country would be able to maintain order despite their reduced number.
"I know there are issues confronting the country in other provinces," Mr Baki said.
"But what we have done is we have told all our provincial police commanders to identify and be able to release to us the number of personnel that they can make do with, in having to maintain the majority to look after the provinces while the rest is being deployed to support the operations in Port Moresby."
