Now that the issue of arming the police has popped up, we wonder what should happen!
This comes in the wake of the detention of a man who had allegedly climbed a telecom tower and scaled a fence to gain entry into a site holding $2billion worth of methamphetamine.
We learn that Acting Deputy Police Commissioner Sakeo Raikaci said risk assessments would be necessary to determine if armed policemen could keep drugs held as evidence safe.
The man was reportedly found tampering with CCTV cameras that were focused on containers holding the methamphetamine.
“The only resources we have are batons and all those things, but to be equipped with guns, for me, in my personal opinion, I will not agree to that,” Mr Raikaci told The Fiji Times.
There would have to be a risk assessment, he said, to determine whether police should be given guns.
If the threat was slow, he said, there was no need.
If it was high, then there would be a need to consult with their line minister, “get their views and from there, move forward”.
The suspect, he said, was being interviewed to establish his motive and intention.
“Once that has been established then we can expand our investigation, if there’s a group behind it, and all that.”
Mr Raikaci also gave his reassurance that the drugs were “very, very safe”.
What will attract interest though is the question of arming the police force.
On December 4, 2006, the Fiji Military Forces removed weapons from the Police Tactical Response Unit at Nasinu.
Up until then the unit was one part of the police force that carried weapons.
So we ask the question: Should our police force be armed?
The incident involving the man who scaled the tower must serve as a wake-up call for the police force, possibly highlighting vulnerabilities in their operational capabilities.
We also say the issue of arming police officers is not just about equipping them with weapons; it will also have to be about effectively addressing rising criminal threats without compromising public safety.
Any talk about arming the force must be accompanied by gun control measures, training and community policing efforts that focus on de-escalation rather than confrontation.
While the debate over arming the police continues, there will be the issue of resources, and how we can ensure the police are well equipped to do their jobs effectively in the face of serious threats.
As investigations continue, it is important for the police to, understandably, align their strategies with community expectations and legal frameworks.
What is happening now offers us an opportunity to reflect on the potential for reform in how policing is done, and how we counter high risk crime, while being mindful of the safety of both citizens and officers. This certainly isn’t going to be a walk in the park so to speak. It is an issue with it’s share of complexities. But we need to be talking about it now!
