Officers graduate from NZ POLICE TRAINING CENTER

Police Constable Kameli Vaniqi is one of five Pacific Police law enforcement officers that have recently graduated from the New Zealand Police Dog Training Centre in Trentham, Wellington.

PC Vaniqi who is based at the Fiji Detector Dog Unit, completed the nine week training program with fellow law enforcement handlers from the Samoan Customs, Tonga Police, French Polynesia Gendarmerie and French Polynesia Customs.

Under the Fiji Police Partnership Programme supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade & New Zealand Police, the graduation sees a major boost to efforts of targeting organized crime in the region.

PC Vaniqi who hails from Lomati, Nabukelevu in Kadavu graduated as a qualified Narcotics Detector Dog Handler graduating with Narcotics Detector Dog “Chief” who he trained with during the course but will certify with an operational dog back in Fiji.

PC Vaniqi joined the Fiji Police Force in November 2011 as a Special Constable before being recruited into the regular force in January 2017.

With maternal links to Nadali Village in Tailevu, PC Vaniqi has served in various units which also included the Criminal Investigation Department, but has been with the Fiji Detector Dog Unit since December 2019.

National Coordinator of New Zealand Police Dogs Inspector Todd Southall says the partnerships are effective at both the operational and strategic level, and New Zealand Police was very pleased to support, host and train handlers from the Pacific agencies.

NZ Police also supplied the dogs from the police detector dog breeding programme.

The Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho has acknowledged the support of the New Zealand Government and New Zealand Police for facilitating the valuable training program aimed at strengthening collaborative efforts of regional law enforcement agencies targeting organized crime.

On hand to celebrate PC Vaniqi's achievements were other Fijian Police officers who are also undergoing training at the NZ Dog Training Centre as well as Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Seconded Police Officers Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Ullalasi Tamanisau, Inspector Jekope Latu and the Second Secretary at Fiji's High Commission in New Zealand Mr Josua Tuwere.

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