Police say the actions of two officers involved in the arrest of a suspect for alleged unlawful possession of drugs in Nadi will be addressed, while also reminding members of the public of the importance of cooperating with law enforcement.
According to police, the incident occurred yesterday while the officers were on beat patrol in Nadi.
The officers reportedly observed two men behaving suspiciously and approached them, at which point one of the men fled the scene.
The remaining suspect, who is seen in a video circulating on social media, was questioned by police.
Several sachets of dried leaves believed to be marijuana were allegedly found in his possession.
Police said the suspect refused to cooperate with officers, leading to the incident that was captured on video.
Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu said the footage highlights the challenges officers face when effecting an arrest where a suspect refuses to comply.
“The video clearly demonstrates the difficulties faced by officers while effecting an arrest when individuals refuse to cooperate,” he said.
Commissioner Tudravu stressed that officers are trained to apply reasonable force, but acknowledged that situations can vary and may require officers to take necessary action to restrain suspects.
He added that police officers are fully aware of the consequences of using excessive force, noting that officers have previously been charged and brought before the courts when found to have abused their authority.
The Commissioner again urged members of the public to cooperate with police to help avoid similar situations.
