Top Cop Calls for More Officers

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Planning, Aporosa Lutunauga, is hopeful Government will give the green light for an increase in police numbers.

He made these remarks during the 2025-2029 strategic planning community consultative workshop at the Galaxy Hotels in Labasa on Tuesday.

"We want to have more boots (manpower) on the ground and more officers to serve the public," ACP Lutunauga said.

He said they had been working towards an ethically-based community engaged organisation.

The current police to people ratio is 1:1800 with the current 5084 police officers on the roll.

"With a population of close to 900,000, the current number of police officers is not sufficient.

"Police officers, who do not share the quality of being an ethical and community orientated personnel, don't have a place in the force."

On the confidentiality of people lodging reports and seeking anonymity, but still the accused the identity of the person reporting; ACP Lutunauga said they have had to address such issue through their processes and system to protect the identity of the person lodging a compliant.

"If you want to remain anonymous, it is okay with the police, but if gets leaked or compromised, then we will internally investigate and take officers to task," he said.

He added that effective human resource management of police officers could address incompetence.

ACP Lutunauga said they would like to address and provide good working conditions for their officers to enhance production services.

"We hope Government will assist create good working conditions through good police infrastructure and decent pay," he added.

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