By JOHNNY POIYA

Highlands Divisional Police Commander Simon Kauba has issued a warning to his men that anybody who bashes his wife will be automatically suspended.

The ACP made the stern call during a luncheon with his senior officers and it follows a similar statement of zero tolerance from the Police Commissioner in Port Moresby.

Mr Kauba added that as of next year, he did not want to hear of any wife beating in the region’s police force.

Mr Kauba also revealed that earlier in the day he had to remove his uniform to go to do his banking after reading of the mammoth support the wife of a policeman was receiving after she revealed in the media the violent physical treatment she received over the last six years.

“This is a total disgrace to the police force. From now on, Mr PPC and Mr Met Supt, you are to deal personally with any policeman who beats his wife. I don’t want them to be referred to the family violence section. You suspend them on the spot!” Mr Kauba sternly said to Western Highlands PPC Kaiglo Ambane and Metropolitan Superintendent Jeffery Kera.

“We should be proud of our uniforms and the bashing of wives should not be on our list, regardless of how deep our wives push with their demands, we got no right to bash them. PPC, Met Supt and Station Commander, you are to make sure you deal with your officers or you’ll face the consequences.

“How do we expect people to respect us and help us carry out our duties effectively if we bash up our wives? We have to know that half of the police work is done by the community.

“What sense does it make if we go and arrest someone who bashes his wife if we don’t respect our own wives?” Mr Kauba questioned.

The ACP also cautioned his men to be very careful of police brutality which has become a norm over the years.

He said people are human beings and it would make things hard for the police force if they did not work closely with them.

Mr Kauba thanked his men throughout the region for keeping their professionalism during the transitional period at the police hierarchy.

“We’re a professional disciplinary force and it is not our responsibility to decide who takes the hierarchy.

“Our job is to walk with who is leading us. In the new year, we have to be conscious of all our failures and improve on them to strengthen the force,” Mr Kauba said.