Solomon’s service comes to an end

Helen Harris recently returned from the Solomon Islands where she was NZ Police’s first nonsworn staff officer.

Helen was part of the NZ Police contingent to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI). She was staff officer for three successive rotations from February 2005 to September 2006.

“If you told me in January last year I’d be spending the next 18 months in the Solomon Islands, I would have asked you what you were on!” laughs Helen, who admits she hadn’t even considered the possibility of an overseas deployment until it was mentioned to her. “I ended up with the longest continuous service for a NZ Police contingent member.”

As staff officer, Helen assisted the contingent commander with the smooth running of the deployment.

She was also welfare officer for the NZ Police contingent and liaison officer for the 12 Pacific nations in RAMSI. Helen describes her role as “helping the guys to do what they needed, by looking after the ‘how’ and ‘why’.

A couple of things stand out for Helen. Setting up the bike squad for the Royal Solomon Islands Police in Honiara was one. Another was the contact she had with staff from the 12 Pacific countries in RAMSI.

“I learnt so much about Pacific culture," she says. "It was a real privilege.”

Helen also enjoyed seeing the country. For work she regularly visited staff working in the outposts and in her spare time took every opportunity to get out and about.