[File Photo]

Urgent reforms are needed in the Fiji Police Force to address equipment shortages, faulty infrastructure and weak internal controls.

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua highlighted these issues as part of the findings and recommendations of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence following its review of the Fiji Police Force’s 2020-2021 Annual Report.

Qereqeretabua said the Force was committed to political neutrality, integrity, and accountability, but instances of misconduct, including missing drug exhibits, show the need for stronger internal oversight.

Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs Lenora Qereqeretabua.

She pointed out the growing number of public complaints including cases of animal cruelty, and urged full documentation, transparent disciplinary action and improved protection for whistle-blowers.

“The Committee recommends strengthening internal oversight, ensuring full documentation of all public complaints, including those of animal cruelty, and we are seeing more of them each day on social media. The complaints mechanism is something we wanted to highlight as well, Mr. Speaker, where the Fiji Police Force operates a structured grievance system with three internal associations. Officers must follow proper channels, and the 917 helpline now operates 24/7.”

Qereqeretabua noted that the K9 Unit faces operational limits with only 13 dogs nationwide and recommended expanding deployment to key ports and ensuring pay parity with Customs officers.

She also flagged the Police Mobile Force and Diving Unit as under-resourced, lacking vehicles, uniforms, rescue equipment and decompression chambers, and called for dedicated budgets, equipment upgrades, and better occupational health and safety compliance.

She stressed the need to modernize drug operations, amend the Fiji Police Act to allow drone footage as evidence, streamline legal processes for drug destruction, and support alternative livelihoods with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Cybercrime remains under-resourced, prompting calls for greater investment in digital forensics, body cameras, surveillance tools and non-lethal equipment.

Opposition MP Joseph Nand.

Opposition MP Joseph Nand said officers deployed in their own communities struggle to enforce the law and cited the Naviti Resort case as an example of systemic delays.

He urged immediate implementation of the Job Evaluation Exercise, funding for infrastructure upgrades, fixing the Nadi Police Station sewer and expanding transport allowances to prevent officers from bearing costs out of pocket.

Policing Minister Ioane Naivalurua acknowledged the report and outlined government actions, including a $13.5 million budget increase, 1,000 new officers, establishment of the Ministry of Policing and upgrades to border protection, K9 units and the Narcotics Bureau.

“I would like to assure this august House that I, as the Minister responsible, is working very closely with the Commissioner of Police to deal with these issues. You are assured of our commitment to sort out a lot of these things. Since this was tabled, a lot of things has improved. I would like to highlight some of those things which the Coalition Government is committed to in this year’s fiscal year.”

Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma called for drone-assisted drug operations, expanded K9 coverage, improved network cooperation for cybercrime investigations, body cameras for transparency, and stronger animal protection enforcement.

He also drew attention to rising male suicide rates, stressing the need for mental health support.

Qereqeretabua states Parliament must ensure officers have the resources to uphold the law and maintain public trust.

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