New police clearance certificate with security features launched (MEDIA STATEMENT)

The Police Crimes Division launched on Monday a new police clearance certificate with security features.

Assistant Commissioner Crimes Hodges Ette said the issuance of the new certificates will prevent false police clearance certificates from being issued. The new Police Clearance Certificate which was launched at the Crime Division conference room at the police headquarters in Port Moresby was witnessed by senior police officers as well as staff from the Crimes Division and Interpol.

Mr Ette said the new police clearance certificate came into effect on Monday 15 November. Certificates issued prior will remain valid until March 2022. He said the RPNGC is changing the old police clearance certificate that has been used for the last 46 years since independence.

“The old format of producing police clearance certificates has been abused, and fraudulently used. People are printing them outside of the actually established system. We have fraudsters producing police clearance certificates fraudulently. The constabulary has been accused of facilitating or fraudulently producing false documents,” Mr Ette said.

Mr Ette however said that the police clearance certificate was previously done at a small administrative fee of K10.00 which was increased to K65.00 this year. He said Police make about K9,000.00 per day especially from the applications received in the National Capital District. He added that so far this year the Constabulary was able to collect K800,000.00 in police clearance fees.

“This particular certificate comes in three categories one for citizens, another one for expatriates and we also developed for PMVs as well. I am sure Motor Vehicle Insurance Limited (MVIL) and the transport sector will also be interested,” Mr Ette said, adding that certain categories would be put in with a reasonable fee at a future date. For instance, a person trying to get a job as a security guard will pay K65.00 but if they are trying to become the head of a government department they may pay up to K1,000.00 for the certificate.

Mr Ette said police are in the process of developing a work based system that can be accessed anywhere in the country. This system will also be of interest to various stakeholders including the National Statistical Office (NSO), Foreign Affairs and others.

Mr Ette said the new certificate with the security features will cost zero Kina to develop.

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Tuesday 16th November, 2021