Police to rethink operations
COVID-19 has forced authorities to rethink Police operations, says Deputy Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu. ACP Tudravu was speaking at a video conference between the Fiji Police Force and members of the Australian Federal Police-International Development Group’s Pacific Development Programme-Regional (PPD-R).
He said life in general had changed and it was up to the working committee to find practical ways around the pandemic so that the policing landscape was not affected.
The meeting centered on the launch of the Pacific Centre for Law Enforcement in August this year and the ongoing work by the Pacific Police Training Advisory Group. The advisory group’s role was to enhance training programmes in the Pacific region.
Interim head of the programme committee, Lautoa Faletau, said COVID-19 made it difficult for member countries to meet, however they were looking at holding a virtual launch so that work could get underway.
She said the team was also excited at the prospect of capitalising on Fiji’s Bula Bubble because it would allow members to send their representatives to Fiji for training.
ACP Tudravu, relayed Commissioner of Police Brigadier-General Sitiveni Qiliho’s eagerness to get the work of the enforcement centre underway.
Adding that Fiji stands ready to assist its regional law enforcement partners.
The concept of the enforcement centre was formulated at the 2018 meeting for Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police which aimed at consolidating regional, trilateral and bilateral Police development through a decentralised model.
It will be made up of a network of regional centres with proven ability to deliver Police development programmes in the region.
With its ability to provide regional recruit training, Fiji has been identified as a leader with specialised training in investigations and Intelligence.