AFP reaffirm Commitment

The Australian Federal Police has reaffirmed its commitment to assisting the Fiji Police Force in strengthening security engagements acknowledging Fiji’s lead role in strengthening cooperation efforts with its Pacific partners.

The commitment was made by the Australian Federal Police’s Commander Pacific, Commander Melinda Phelan during a meeting with Fiji’s Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho at the Fiji Police Headquarters in Suva.

“We’re friends and we are here to support the Fiji Police and that’s the commitment I bring with me today”.

The Fiji Police Force works closely with the AFP’s Commander Pacific Office in specific areas of police to police cooperation on a national and regional level.

Apart from the police to police cooperation efforts between the FPF and AFP in capacity and capability building, the partnership extends to working together under the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police in various programs such as the Pacific Community for Law Enforcement, Cyber Safety Pasifika, the Pacific Forensic Working Group, Pacific Transnational Crime Network and the Women’s Advisory Network.

Commander Phelan was accompanied by the Executive Officer to the Commander Pacific Vanessa Pardy, AFP Senior Liaison Officer Pacific Detective Superintendent Adrian Morton and AFP’s Detective Sergeant Christopher Burgess.

The Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho thanked Commander Phelan for the support rendered through the AFP’s Command Pacific Office in various law enforcement cooperation programs and initiatives that have benefitted Fiji and the Pacific.

The AFP had also co-funded the Fiji Police National Command Centre, and has also committed to assisting the FPF expand the Command Centre concept to its WATERPOL and Divisional Headquarters.

Brigadier General Qiliho said, “The vuvale partnership has set us on the right platform to work together and be exemplary to others for future engagements and especially to smalller island states on how we engage”.

Also in attendance were the Deputy Commissioner of Police Itendra Nair and the Director International Relations Senior Superintendent of Police Ulaiasi Ravula.

Commander Phelan will be visiting various other FPF operational arms in the coming days.

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