Adopt ‘Know your neighbour’ Approach this Festive Season
Christmas is a time of joy and to celebrate with your family and loved ones and annually the Fiji Police Force strives to provide the conducive environment for all Fijians to celebrate without any major incidents.
The festive season is also however a time where opportunists strike as they take advantage of people’s tendency to overlook issues regarding their safety and security as we get caught up in the festivities.
While we have put in place measures and operational strategies striving to provide the conducive environment for a safe and incident free Christmas and festive season for all, we however need everyone’s support to be able to achieve this intent.
The Fiji Police Force is pleading with everyone to be proactive with their safety by prioritising safety in all their planned activities as we head into the final days of 2022.
The festive season is also a time where alcohol related crimes record increases as the excessive consumption of alcohol has led to suffering and the loss of lives.
Cases of assault, drink driving, damaging property and sexual offences that are linked to alcohol often spike during this period, and we hope good sense and moderation will be exercised where alcohol is involved.
With increased movement of people for family and social gatherings, we urge everyone to adopt the “Know Your Neighbour” approach, instantly strengthening your community and neighbourhood crime prevention efforts.
By doing so, there will be an increased level of alertness to suspicious activities in your communities, and you can take necessary preventative measures to keep each other safe.
As is the spirit of Christmas, a time of togetherness, it is our desire to strengthen partnerships between the police and communities for the sake of safer communities, one neighbour at a time.
We want you to celebrate Christmas and the heralding of a New Year with your families and loved ones.
Safety reminders for drivers and pedestrians:
■P●a■ your trips ahead of time to avoid speeding, as speeding kills
■ Don’t drink and drive! Dont be selfish as you’re putting your life and other innocent road users at risk
■Get enough rest! Driver fatigue is dangerous and has led to serious and fatal accidents.
■Be alert to pedestrians, particularly young children. They are home for the school holidays, so we ask you to be extra vigilant
■Be alert at night for pedestrians.
■Pare■ts and guardians are asked to be vigilant to their children’s movements and activities, and ensure they are supervised at all times
■Pedestria■s must take all necessary safety precautions
■Pedestria■s are reminded to wear bright clothing at night.
■If you know of someone who has had a few too many alcoholic drinks and still insists on driving, report the matter to your respective command centres. Source: Fiji Police Force