Papua New Guinea police officer holding rifle allegedly threatens to ‘blow brains’ of civilian

A police officer in Papua New Guinea has been arrested and charged after allegedly pointing a high-powered rifle at a civilian and threatening to "blow his head off." This tense incident occurred in Madang town on Thursday night, raising concerns about police conduct.

A video shows the officer, who was reportedly in plain clothes at the time, allegedly pointing a semi-automatic rifle at a man wearing a striped shirt, saying "I will blow your head off" and "I will kill you." The civilian then accused the officer of acting "above the law," to which the officer allegedly responded, "I am not a police officer, I am a murderer." Bystanders attempted to de-escalate the situation, highlighting the public's concern for safety.

The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) has verified the video and confirmed that the man was a serving officer at the time of the incident. PNG Police Commissioner David Manning stated that he was disgusted by the behavior. "The people of our country rightly expect higher standards from our trained personnel, and under this government, we are taking a no-compromise approach," he said, emphasizing the commitment to accountability.

Commissioner Manning stated that the accused officer had been dismissed from the police force in 2023 for alleged criminal offenses, but the officer sought a court injunction and was allowed to return to work. "This sort of... unprofessional behavior cannot be tolerated," the Commissioner said. "The individual member involved has been disarmed by police and will now answer for his behavior in court." Commissioner Manning indicated that higher-level personnel would also face consequences. "There has clearly been a failure in command at the Madang local level, and senior officers are facing immediate administrative penalties," he said. "In effect, this means the local commander of operations will be stood down pending further notice and an investigation by Internal Affairs."

Sinclair Dinnen, a senior research fellow at the Australian National University and a PNG policing expert, stated that such incidents are not uncommon in the country. "[This] suggests a serious breakdown in discipline and command has eroded overall PNG trust in the police," Dr. Dinnen said. "Commissioner Manning has been trying to restore order and remove the undisciplined and criminal elements from the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary. Cases like this show there is a long way to go." The Commissioner stated that over 400 officers have been dismissed in the past 18 months in a nationwide crackdown on police misconduct, demonstrating the scale of the problem.

Australia is Papua New Guinea's largest policing partner, providing support for programs that support police recruitment, training, accommodation, and cadet placements. According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Papua New Guinea's police force is only one-third of the United Nations' recommended police-to-population ratio, indicating a need for further investment and development in the sector.