By GINNAH MINI
CYRUS Natil has become the first police officer in his family after being commissioned as an Inspector following three years of demanding training at the Bomana Centre of Excellence.
Natil was among 54 cadet officers commissioned at the rank of Inspector, marking a significant milestone not only in his policing career but also for his family.
Coming from a family of teachers and other professionals, Detective Inspector Natil said he was honoured to be the first in his family to wear the police uniform, a journey that began in 2012.
He expressed his appreciation to his family for their unwavering support throughout his career.
“Today is a very significant moment for me and my family. I really appreciate their support as well, to take me this far,” he said.
He dedicated his achievement to his uncle, Toia Nandia, a former Chief Sergeant and an instructor at the Bomana Training College.
“I never dreamt of becoming a policeman one day from my upbringing from a child to high school,” he said.
“It was my uncle who inspired me -from a grade 12 school leaver to where I am now.”
Hailing from Imbongu District, Southern Highlands Province, Detective Inspector Natil completed his primary education at Kumbame Community School and Iombi Primary School in the province. He completed his grade 10 at Kaupena High
School in 2007 and grade 12 at Ialibu Secondary in 2009.
He commenced basic Recruit Training at Bomana Police College, where he obtained a Certificate in Constable Training in 2012. Prior to joining the Cadet Officer Training, he served with the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC) as a Detective Senior Constable and Officer- in-Charge of the Homicide Squad at Lae Metropolitan Police.
He has been an investigator for 13 years in the Criminal Investigation Division in Lae-after graduating from Bomana Training College.
Detective Inspector Natil said that the training was intense and challenging but he persevered.
“These training usually stresses us out. You need mental and physical strength,” he said.
“As a father, and as a man who has family back at home, we have to give also time to family, how we can manage them in our absence while in training.”
He said that throughout his training he has learned a lot of valuable lessons that he is willing to display out in the field.
“We have learned how to have good community relations with our people, how we will serve them, how to lead our subordinates, and make sure that we achieve the mission of RPNGC-which is to work in partnership and also build a professional and healthy police force” he said.
Detective Inspector Natil was being posted to Simbu Province where the RPNGC is expecting him to enforce discipline and preserve the peace and good order in the communities in the province.
He acknowledged that Simbu is located along the Highlands Highway where there can be a lot of accidents, hold-ups and other petty crimes.
“I’m posted to Simbu specially to look in these areas, the law and order issues our people are currently facing,” he said.
He advises interested young Papua New Guineans to join RPNGC.
“RPNGC promotes discipline, ethics, moral principles, how to get along with the community, respect for others and work in partnership with others,” he said.
“If the young men and women out there who want to join the RPGC, it’s a very colorful career, so I ask you to please apply.”
Out of the 54 commissioned officers, five of them were females. Cyrus encouraged young females join RPNGC as they promote equal employment opportunities.
“There’s a place for young women to join the RPNGC. People think that the RPNGC is only for the male, so we see it as a male-dominated department. But no, the RPNGC has been recruiting women, back in the 1980s,” he said.
Detective Inspector Natil said that his long-term goal in the constabulary is to eradicate corruption (official corruption, money laundering, terrorism financing) in the government systems so resources are fairly distributed for effective flow of government services.