Corruption within force

Police chief advocates for body cameras, personal responsibility

ACTING Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew conceded yesterday that corruption is very much alive within the Fiji Police Force.

While speaking to The Fiji Times online portal The Lens@177, ACP Fong Chew revealed he still receives daily complaints from the public about certain police officers’ involvement in such activities.

He agreed body cameras while “quite expensive,” would “ensure that the officers are doing their duty the right way”.

He also shared that since taking up the position, there have been invites from businessmen that he turned down.

ACP Fong Chew also shared how news of police officers involved in criminal activities greatly disappointed him.

“I don’t like seeing it in the news and on social media because it tarnishes the reputation and the values of the Fiji Police Force.

“The news that I don’t want to hear first thing when I’m up in the morning is when a police officer is implicated for an offense, you know that really hurts me and I try my best to compose myself. There are processes that should be followed, and I cannot just terminate the accused officers right away.”

He said pay should not be considered an excuse for corrupt officers.

“I would not say the factor of low pay because we have a salary progression policy in place where every two years, a particular officer is given a jump to the next scale of pay.”

He believes officers involved in criminal activities are because of the company they keep and it was their individual responsibility to manage themselves, “how they see the organisation they work for, their own upbringing.

“And when they were coming up as a police officer, we are all taught the dos and don’ts.”