Police to appoint community policing chief

The Fiji Police Force will appoint an Assistant Commissioner to oversee community policing as part of efforts to strengthen crime prevention.

Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu announced the move while opening the Community Policing Cluster Chief and Coordination Workshop at the Fiji Police Academy this morning.

He said the realignment of roles would reinforce community policing as the frontline in battling crime.

“Community policing is our frontline in battling crime. The true measure is not the number of arrests made, but the absence of crime in our communities,” Mr Tudravu said.

The Commissioner added that the dedicated leadership role would help drive a more proactive approach, with officers expected to engage directly with communities rather than wait for reports.

He also noted that resources were being directed to community posts to improve service delivery and strengthen trust.

"Attend meetings and involve yourselves more with community work. Restore that trust so the community is willing to assist us with whatever we need," he said.

Mr Tudravu urged workshop participants to develop practical solutions suited to their respective communities.

He emphasised that engaging consistently with the community, and maintaining momentum, is key to winning public support.

The Commissioner also acknowledged the work already done by the Community Policing unit and encouraged participants to use the workshop to develop solutions best suited to their communities.