Courtesy Call by NZ Police Advisors

A New Zealand Police team currently in Fiji working on the multi-million dollar New Zealand and Fiji Police Strengthening Program met with the Acting Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu yesterday.

Program Manager Inspector Paris Razos was accompanied by fellow advisors Brent Andrew Murray and Margo Atawhai Hall where they briefed the Acting Commissioner on their scope of work focusing on specialized areas of investigations as well as support towards the review of the Criminal Investigations Department.

In February 2020, a joint announcement was made by Fiji’s Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Arden on improving the health, well-being and resilience of people with both agreeing to expand security partnership into policing cooperation.

The Acting Commissioner said the review and training process was timing as it would help in specialized areas of investigations in particular Criminal Proceeds Asset Recovery and investigative interviewing.

He said having the team from the New Zealand Police with their wealth of knowledge and training experience will greatly benefit the Fiji Police's efforts in strengthening investigative interviewing, development of general patrol dog capability, asset recovery support and leadership and governance capability.

The Fiji Police Strengthening Programme is a $4.6million bilateral program funded by the New Zealand Government.