Minister Hears Of Challenges Faced by Police
Amammoth challenge that Labasa Police Station faces is cyber risk. Station officer Inspector Lalit Chand highlighted this during a briefing with the Minister for Home Affairs and Immigration Pio Tikoduadua and Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew on Thursday.
Divisional Police Commander Northern Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Viliame Soko elaborated that information was passed through viber groups.
“Some information needs to be verified and so we send it to the Criminal Investigation Department in Suva to assist us and by then the suspects are already gone,” SSP Soko said.
“There are certain times when we discuss issues about crime or drug raids in our viber group and someone leaks the information.”
Cell blocks and human rights
The other challenge is lack of space or cell blocks to keep offenders for a week or month. This was disclosed by the Northern Police Command Centre officer in charge Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ilisapeci Ranadi.
“When we talk about upholding human rights according to Fiji’s Constitution, cell blocks become a concern,” ASP Ranadi said.
“There are four blocks and one room can accommodate two people.”
SSP Soko said during weekends it could be more than 10 people, especially those remanded from the Magistrate’s Court on Fridays.
“The Labasa Corrections Centre does not take remandees after 5:30pm on Friday, so we keep them and provide food over the weekend,” SSP Soko said.
“Sometimes we get offenders from Savusavu and Taveuni Police Stations over the weekend to appear in the Magistrate’s Court on Monday.” Mr Tikoduadua said he would discuss the issues with the Acting Police Commissioner Juki Fong Chew if a request for arrangement could be made with the Fiji Corrections Service.