expanding forensic pathology support across the Pacific region

The Fiji Police Force Forensic Pathology, has been instrumentally expanding forensic pathology support across the Pacific region since 2013.

The head of the Fiji Police Force Forensics Pathology Unit Dr. James Kalougivaki said when requested, support has also been rendered to Nauru, Kiribati and Tuvalu, and during major regional events such as the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting recently held in Apia, Samoa.

Dr. Kalougivaki's expertise has again been requested to assist neighbouring countries where he was in Samoa and is currently in Vanuatu.

As Fiji's sole specialist forensic pathologist, Dr. James Kalougivaki with over 15 years of experience, has shared his expertise through the support of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police regional partners in accordance with the Fiji Police Force’s commitment towards exchange shared learnings between Pacific Island law enforcement agencies.

Most recently Dr. Kalougivaki has conducted training for senior members of the Vanuatu judiciary, Public Prosecutions, Police and Criminal Investigations Department.

Beyond these initiatives, Dr. Kalougivaki has played a significant role in regional forensic networks, presenting strategies to improve disaster victim identification networks in Pacific Island countries and has been an active participant in the Asia-Pacific Medico-Legal Agencies (APMLA), playing a pivotal in enhancing medico-legal death investigation systems in neighboring island nations.

Through these efforts, the Fiji Police Forensic Pathology Unit with Dr. Kalougivaki has significantly contributed to strengthening forensic pathology capabilities in the Pacific, fostering collaboration, and enhancing the overall effectiveness of law enforcement agencies in the region.

The efforts bolster the organisation’s support of Pillar 1 under the Australian Federal Police’s - Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI) Regional Policing Centers of Excellence in the field of forensics?.