Police Chief of Operations, ACP Maretino Qiolevu

Police Chief of Operations, ACP Maretino Qiolevu says over the last two-week period they have recorded a decrease in reports of aggravated robberies and nil assault cases in the Suva city area.

He says this is contrary to a media report stating that they witnessed several cases where nightclub patrons and those coming out of restaurants have been attacked and robbed, and a few have been brutally assaulted.

ACP Qiolevu says they believe the media have a huge role to play in the dissemination of news based on facts and not merely on assumptions based on social media posts which have not been verified as actual attacks as claimed.

Police he says have acknowledged the need to increase visibility which has been done vigorously over the last two weeks.

ACP Qiolevu notes that the media report in question also states that these cases have not been reported to Police, which disables Police from taking action or making an arrest.

Despite this he says, Police continue to deploy officers based on past trends where they anticipate a rise in petty theft, and had increased visibility throughout the week, pulling manpower from various units.

ACP Qiolevu is urging the public to come forward and report matters so that they can investigate it thoroughly and bring those responsible to justice.

He also notes that everyone needs to take ownership of their safety and enjoy themselves responsibility.