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About
a Police Force
About A Police Force: FIJI
Fiji
has recently experienced its fourth coup in 19 years. Each
coup has generally been spurred by the underlying tension
between Indian Fijians and the majority ethnic Fijians and
carried out by the military or civilian movements. For the
most part, the Fijian police have officially distanced themselves
from the various coup perpetrators and publicly refused
to become involved in these situations1. Nevertheless,
after the third coup in 2000, a special internal taskforce
was established to investigate allegations that police officers
were involved with organising and facilitating the event2.
The possibility of police participation and complicity in the events of 2000 is made more real by the controversy surrounding the acting Police Commissioner at the time. After the interim civilian administration (installed only by military backing) announced it would prosecute those involved in the takeover of Parliament, the police force and the acting Police Commissioner, Isikia Savua, were criticised for not charging high profile senior figures, particularly ethnic Fijian chiefs, who were allegedly involved in criminal acts.
The
most recent coup occurred on December 6 2006 and was led
by Commodore Josaia Voreque (Frank) Bainimarama, commander
of the Fijian military and now interim Prime Minister of
Fiji. During the 2006 coup, acting Fiji Police Commissioner
Moses Driver stated that he would refuse to follow orders
from the military, but his force could offer no further
resistance because they had been unarmed by the military.
Driver went on to say that "the military has now indulged
in a very serious criminal act and… we are not going to
support the military in this regard."3 Commodore Bainimarama
retaliated by stating that the military had taken the action
of disarming the police, as "we would not want to see a
situation whereby the police and the military are opposed
in an armed confrontation."4
Reports came to light after the coup that Fiji police were considering whether to formally investigate Commodore Bainimarama over his actions.5
1.
Policing in Fiji
The
Fiji Police Force is governed by the Police Act, the regulations
of which were enacted in 1970. The Act is Chapter 85 of
the Laws of Fiji. The mission of the Fijian Police Force
is to serve and protect the people of Fiji and its visitors
through Community Partnership for a safer Fiji.
The
Ministry of Home Affairs oversees the Fiji Police Force.
In 2003, the
Government of Fiji initiated a program aimed at improving
standards of policing, increasing accountability and combating
corruption.
Community
policing
The
Fiji Police have a long history of community policing. The
Community
Policing program first started in 1961. There is also
a Neighbourhood Watch program that has been active for over
20 years and has proven to be effective in helping to combat
crime. Components of the Community Policing program include
a Victims of Crime Program, Crime Prevention Committees,
Police Citizens Youth Group and a Police School Involvement
program.
The
Crime Stoppers programme is another effort to bridge the
gap between the community and police with regards to information
sharing about crimes that have been or are about to be committed.
The aim of the Crime Stoppers program is to build public
confidence in submitting information without fear of retribution.
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Service Values
- The
Police Service respects the values, policies, rights
and freedoms set out in the Constitution.
- Employment
decisions in the Police Service are made without
patronage, favoritism or political influence, and
appointments and promotions, and recommendations
to the DSC in respect of appointments and promotions,
are made on the basis of merit after an open, competitive
selection process.
- Men
and women equally and the members of all ethnic
groups, have adequate and equal opportunities for
training and advancement in the Police Service.
- The
Police Service carries out the Government’s
policies and programs effectively and efficiently
and with due economy.
- The
composition of the Police Service reflects as closely
as possible the ethnic composition of the population,
taking account, when appropriate, of occupational
preferences.
- The
Police Service provides a working environment that
is free from discrimination.
- The
Police Service is apolitical, performing its functions
in a neutral, impartial and professional way.
- The
Police Service is fully accountable, within the
framework of the Constitution and the Finance Management
Act 2004, to the Government, the Parliament and
the people of Fiji.
- The
Police Service has the highest ethical standards,
particularly for integrity and honesty.
- The
Police Service delivers services fairly, effectively
and courteously.
- The
Police Service develops and maintains leadership
of the highest quality, particularly through its
senior executive officers.
-
The Police Service provides a fair, flexible and
rewarding workplace.
- The
Police Service focuses on achieving results and
managing performance.
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2.
Function of the Police Force
Chapter
85 of the Laws of Fiji lays down the functions of the Fiji
Police force. The Police shall be employed in and throughout
the Fiji Islands for the maintenance of law and order, the
preservation of peace, the protection of life and property,
the prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement
of all laws and regulations with which it is directly charged.
The Fiji Police Service is also responsible for providing its police services in order to give frank, honest, comprehensive, accurate and timely advice to the Government in relation to those services and matters of public safety and security.
3. Structure of the Police Force
The Police Act (Chapter 85, Laws of Fiji) sets out the structure of the Police Force. Fiji is divided into policing divisions - Southern Division, Northern Division, Eastern Division and Western Division. Each division has a number of central stations that are responsible for the various police posts located within their designated geographical region. The Southern Division has the largest number of stations and police posts, and is also home to the Fiji Police Headquarters, Crime Investigation Department (CID)/Intelligence Division Headquarters and the Fiji Police Academy.
The
Fiji
Police maintain a network of 32 stations and 92 police
posts throughout the Fiji Islands. Policing of smaller and
more remote islands are conducted through routine visits.
The
Commissioner of Police is the highest-ranking officer in
the Police Force, and is responsible for the administration
and organisation of the Fiji Police, including the operational
development and control of the force. The Commissioner is
appointed in accordance with the laws set out in the Constitution
of Fiji – Chapter 7, part 4, section 111. The
Commissioner is appointed by the Constitutional Offices
Commission after consultation with the appropriate Cabinet
Minister.
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The
Kenya Police Manual
Commissioner of Police
Deputy Commissioner of Police
Assistant
Commissioners of Police
Gazetted
Officers: The ranks of Gazetted Officers
are – Senior Superintendent, Superintendent
and Assistant Superintendent.
Inspectorate Officers: Officers are
of Inspector rank and are appointed directly by the
Commissioner.
Non Commissioned Officers: NCO’s
are responsible for the daily supervision of police
activity such as allocation of workload and disciplinary
matters. NCO ranks are – Sergeant and Corporal.
Constable: The first confirmed rank
in the Fiji Police Force.
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Police
Units
In 1996, an Internal Affairs Division was established in
response to the increasing incidences and allegations of
misconduct on the part of police officers. Initially, the
primary role of the IAD was to investigate complaints made
against officers, however over the years the Division has
extended its scope to include the formation of a Support
Unit and a Proactive Unit. In 2005 the IAD changed its name
to the Ethical
Standards Unit.
The
Police
Tactical Response Team (PRT) is the newly coined name
for the unit that used to be known as the Police Mobile
Force. The PRTs main functions are to respond to situations
of unrest in Fiji, coordinate and execute search and rescue
operations, gather intelligence, provide protection to visiting
dignitaries and VIPs, and provide tactical support to uniform
operations.
A Crime
Investigation Department (CID)/Intelligence Division
has recently been established and is an amalgamation of
four departments – CID Operations, CID Support Services,
Intelligence (formerly Special Branch) and Economic Crime.
The establishment of this division has been a lengthy process
of realignment of structure, responsibilities and priority,
and reflects the modernisation of the Fiji Police Force.
Other
units in the Fiji Police Force include the: Planning Unit,
Strike-back Team, Transport Pool and the Information Technology
and Communications Task Force.
4.
Police Powers and Duties
The
duties
of individual police officers are to protect life and
property, preserve the peace, prevent offence, detect and
apprehend offenders and help those in need of assistance.
Article 17 in Chapter 85 of the Laws of Fiji states that
“every police officer shall exercise such powers and
perform such duties as are by law conferred or imposed upon
a police officer, and shall obey all lawful directions in
respect of the execution of his office which he may from
time to time receive from his superiors in the Force or
from any other police officer in the same rank as himself
but senior in service.” The Laws of Fiji also outline
in further detail the duties of police officers, including
the disposal of unclaimed property and to keep order on
public roads.
Articles
17 to 26, Chapter 85 of the Laws of Fiji lays out the general
powers of police officers, such as the power to take photographs,
the power to make complaint, the power to inspect licenses
and permits, the power to erect barriers, and the power
to enter premises in case of fire, flooding or other natural
disaster.
The
Constitution
of Fiji gives provision for Police to arrest people
in response to warrants issued by magistrates and judges.
The Constitution also states that police officers may make
arrests without warrants for violations of the penal code,
and that police must present the offender before the courts
without ‘undue delay’, usually interpreted to
mean no later than 48 hours after arrest.
1.
Background to Fiji's four coups, BBC News, 08/12/2006:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/6209486.stm
2. Special task force to investigate Fiji police involvement
in 2000 coup, Radio New Zealand International, 08/02/2004:
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=8513
3. Fiji's military takes control of nation, USA Today,
05/12/2006: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-12-04-fiji-coup-fears_x.htm
4. PM's bodyguards got arms: Army, FijiLive, 04/12/2006:
http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2006/12/04/fijilive2.html
5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Bainimarama
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