Fiji Police Suspended from Regional Police Community

13 October 2008

Fiji Police is to remain suspended from the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) organisation following an ballot of the PICP members at the 37th PICP Conference September 2008 in Apia, Samoa.

The Executive Director of the PICP Secretariat, Superintendent Tony Annandale said that the effect of the suspension would be to exclude Fiji Police from attendance at meetings and participation in the management of the PICP and it’s decision making processes.

Fiji Police members would continue to receive technical assistance and support in existing PICP programmes such as disaster response planning and HIV/AIDS education. They would continue to be able to avail themselves of regional police training assistance. 

The PICP looks forward to the restoration of democracy in Fiji and the return of Fiji Police to the organisation, as they were a founding member of the organisation over 35 years ago.

Background to the PICP

The Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, which was formerly known as the South Pacific Chiefs of Police Conference, has previously represented the Police Services of all 21 member countries in Micronesia, Melanesia and Polynesia. There are over 35,000 police members represented through the PICP. The PICP has a strategic emphasis on Integrity, Communications between members and other regional organisations, and Capacity Development.

Contact points

PICP Chairman Papali’i Lorenese Neru, Commissioner of Samoa Police and Prisons, Samoa Phone +685 22222

PICP Executive Director Superintendent Tony Annandale, Wellington, New Zealand Phone +64 4 470 7126