Police personnel to stop unauthorised comments on social and mainstream media
THE POLICE hierarchy will now take disciplinary action against any unauthorised members of the Royal Papua New Constabulary who comments on operational and administrative aspects of the Constabulary in both the social and mainstream media outlets.
An official directive has been issued by Police Commissioner Gari Baki to all civilian and uniform m embers of the RPNGC to refrain from commenting in the media.
The Police Force Act and the Constabulary Standing Orders (CSO) do not allow members of the Constabulary to comment in the mainstream or social media or to create blogs purposely to discuss Police administrative or operational issues. Policemen and women are also not authorized to comment on matters of a political nature as well or partake in other media forums considered to be detrimental to the command and control of the RPNGC.
Commissioner Baki said that only the Police Top Management, which includes himself, Deputy Commissioner Operations and Deputy Commissioner Administration, are authorised to comment on all matters including policies issues. Divisional Commanders and Provincial Police Commanders are authorised to talk to the media but only operational matters within their command.
“This is very explicitly stated in the Constabulary’s Media Policy which is contained in the CSO,” Mr Baki said, adding that blog sites or Facebook pages with the name “police”, “Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary”, the initials “RPNGC” or the police logo can only be created with the express approval of the Commissioner of Police.
Commissioner Baki has now issued a directive for all Facebook page or blog sites with the name “police”, “Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary”, the initials “RPNGC” or the police logo to be immediately removed.
Disciplinary and or criminal action will be taken on the administrators of these pages and members of the RPNGC who are found breaching this order.
Commissioner Baki
The only official Facebook page authorized and sanctioned by the Police Commissioner to disseminate media statements and information is the RPNGC page created and managed by the Police Media Unit. All members of the Constabulary are reminded to revisit the Media Policy as contained in the CSO which details how members should interact with the media.
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