Zero tolerance for corrupt police officers

Police corruption, drug use within the force, and calls to arm officers were addressed head-on by Permanent Secretary for Policing and Communications Berenado Daveta at the sidelines of the Pacific Peace and Security Dialogue at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva yesterday.

Mr Daveta said the ministry maintained a zero-tolerance policy on corrupt officers and that any found guilty would face due process and charges.

“No police officer should be corrupt. If they are found corrupt, they will be taken to a due process and be charged and indicted,” Mr Daveta said.

On public trust, Mr Daveta said the ministry was very concerned about corruption within the force and that stronger ethics training – threaded through every course and syllabus – was the answer, alongside proper background checks at recruitment.

He also clarified that a Police Bill provision allowing access to a suspect’s phone was not an unwarranted search, but search under warrant to gather evidence in drug trafficking cases against those already arrested.

“No one has the right just to pick on anybody’s phone,” Mr Daveta said.

On mandatory drug testing for officers, he said the ministry had already conducted voluntary drug testing last week with no issues found, and supported the Constitutional Review Commission’s suggestion that drug testing be made a condition of employment from the point of signing contracts.