The annual meeting of the 36th Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) was held in Wellington, New Zealand from 8 - 12 October 2007. The theme for the conference was "Future Directions of Pacific Policing" and was hosted by the Niue police.
The conference adopted a Future Directions in Pacific Policing strategy which focuses on ethics and integrity, capacity development and regional cooperation.
The Chiefs believe that this project will ensure policing jurisdictions will be well positioned for the future.
The members of the PIPC considered a range of issues such as HIV Aids, the Pacific Patrol Boat Programme, Domestic Violence Project and Human Rights. The Chiefs reaffirmed their commitment to the PICP/UNAIDS programme. PICP has been represented in a number of international forums including a police focussed meeting on HIV Aids in the Hague. They agreed to continue the HIV AIDS programme for another two years with an additional emphasis on human rights.
The Chiefs continue to support a range of activities to enhance the response capability and management of information intelligence to combat transnational crime in the region. An example of this was an agreement made with the Pacific Immigration Directors Conference (PIDC) to improve regional cooperation. This will strengthen working relationships for the benefit of all participating immigration and police administrations and their respective countries.
Many of the police jurisdictions operate patrol boats under the Pacific Patrol Boat Programme. At their conference last year the Chiefs recognised the potential of their patrol boats to expand their current role. The Chiefs will continue to support and promote interagency cooperation and multitasking of the patrol boats for wider law enforcement purposes beyond fisheries.
The Acting Chair of the 35th Conference, Palau's Deputy Director of Police Norvert Yano awarded the Chairman's Award for Outstanding Service to Acting Superintendent Kalinda Blake of the Nauru Police. The award recognised her outstanding service through her involvement on the Pacific Regional Policing Initiative, Regional Training Team and the development of training opportunities within Nauru Police.
The conference reiterated its support given to domestic violence prevention by signing a Declaration of Partnership between the PICP and the Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence Programme (PPDVP). At their last meeting the Chiefs approved a Women in Policing survey which was conducted by Victoria University. This document is now available to the Chiefs as a strategic planning tool. The conference accepted the results of that survey.
They also endorsed the PICP WAN Exchange Programme. This programme enables one female police officer from six countries each year with the opportunity to travel to another Pacific police service and undertake three weeks of study related to a specialised aspect of policing.
The conference reconsidered the suspension of Fiji police from the PICP and resolved that it should continue.
The effect of the suspension has been that the PICP continues to interact with Fiji Police staff on humanitarian and operational issues, such as HIV AIDS and Human rights, as well as disaster response development. The PICP has not engaged Fiji police on any new projects or initiatives.
The Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police will meet again in Samoa in 2008.
Issued by: Chief of Police (Niue) Ross Ardern and Superintendent Tony Annandale, Executive Director, Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat, on behalf of the Chiefs of Police.
Released by:
Kaye Calder
Wellington Police District communications manager
Tel: 04 496 3464 or 0274 373 020