Police Chief pushes for power to test officers

Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu will be granted powers to conduct mandatory drug testing of police officers if the proposed changes to the Fiji Police Act are approved by Parliament.

Mr Tudravu revealed that compulsory drug testing was included in submissions for the review of the Fiji Police Act 1965, addressing long-standing concerns about officers involved in drug-related offences.

“It’s important for us to keep check with our police officers,” Mr Tudravu said at the validation workshop at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva today.

"We are the enforcer of the law, and you need to abide by the law. So we cannot have police officers that already have drugs within the system to be enforcing that law."

He said drug testing was currently voluntary within the Force.

“I don’t have any power at this point in time. So given this piece of legislation, if approved, then it will give me enough power to get that done within the organisation,” Mr Tudravu said.

The move aligns with recommendations made by the University of Fiji in September calling for random, suspicion-based and incident-based drug testing with clear disciplinary consequences.

Mr Tudravu said the reviewed Police Act would improve service delivery to the public.

“It’s not really focused on the powers of the police, but at the end of the day, it is how we provide that service well to the members of the public and that is the crux of this legislation,” he said.

The Act is expected to be tabled in Parliament before year’s end.

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