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Police
Twenty-five questions and answers on the Police Act 1998 and the Police Force (Presence Abroad) Act 2004 - how the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary is composed and administered, the office and powers of the Commissioner, the discipline system and its offences and penalties, appointment, promotion, demotion and retirement, the Reserve Constabulary, Special Constables and Community Auxiliary Police, the offences that protect the Force, and service abroad.
The Police Act 1998 governs the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary - who its members are, how they are appointed and promoted, what discipline they are subject to, and what powers and protections they hold. It is a long statute, and most of it is about the internal life of the Force rather than about police powers over the public, which are found in the Criminal Code, the Arrest Act, the Search Act and the Constitution. This series works through the Act in plain language, together with the Police Force (Presence Abroad) Act 2004, which governs service outside the country.
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8 questions and answers, grouped by subject.
- The Force and the Commissioner — 2 questions
- Police and the criminal law — 2 questions
- Appointment, promotion and retirement — 3 questions
- Reserves, auxiliaries and protection of the Force — 1 question
The Force and the Commissioner
What the Police Act covers, how the Constabulary is composed, the office of Commissioner of Police, the Commissioner's powers, and the powers and protections of members.
What Does the Police Act 1998 Cover?
An overview of the PNG Police Act 1998: its structure, what it governs, the constitutional rights it restricts, and where police powers over the public actually come from.
Read the answer → No. 2How Is the Police Force Composed?
Section 7 of the PNG Police Act 1998: the composition of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary, its four branches, the Commandant, and the Force as a State Service.
Read the answer →Police and the criminal law
What happens when a member is charged with or convicted of a criminal offence, and re-appointment after conviction.
What Happens if a Police Officer Is Charged With a Crime?
Sections 32 and 33 of the PNG Police Act 1998: suspension on a criminal charge, pay during that suspension, and mandatory dismissal on conviction.
Read the answer → No. 16Can a Convicted Person Be Re-Appointed to the Police?
Section 34 of the PNG Police Act 1998: re-appointment and reinstatement after a conviction is set aside, and the restoration of service, seniority and salary.
Read the answer →Appointment, promotion and retirement
Joining the Force, recruitment and appointment, promotion, the Police Promotions Selection Board, demotion and dismissal, and retirement.
How Do You Join the Police Force in PNG?
Sections 39 to 47 of the PNG Police Act 1998: qualifications, examinations, recruitment, appointment to the Regular Constabulary, and filling vacancies.
Read the answer → No. 20How Can a Police Officer Be Demoted or Dismissed?
Section 55 of the PNG Police Act 1998: demotion and dismissal for performance, the procedural protections, severance pay, and review by the Commissioner.
Read the answer → No. 21When Must a Police Officer Retire?
Sections 91 to 93 of the PNG Police Act 1998: the retirement ages, retirement for infirmity, the 400-day rule, and resignation from the Force.
Read the answer →Reserves, auxiliaries and protection of the Force
The Reserve Constabulary, Special Constables, Community Auxiliary Police, the offences that protect the Force, and secrecy of records.
Acts are amended, and figures and time limits change. Every article names the sections it relies on so you can read them. If a decision matters to you, get advice — start with the Office of the Public Solicitor, or find a firm in the law firms directory.