Opposition MP Premila Kumar has questioned whether increased recruitment in the Fiji Police Force is translating into improved public safety while also raising concerns over reductions in the police budget.
She said the reduction from $240.3million to $226.5m came at a time when the public continued to raise concerns about response times and the effectiveness of frontline policing.
Ms Kumar pointed to growing public frustration over service delivery.
“When you make a call, they are not there on time,” she said.
She also referred to allegations reported in the public domain involving police conduct.
“Evidence goes missing, corruption charges against police officers. It is not creating a positive feel for the public.”
She said public confidence in the police force was critical as the institution remained the first point of contact for safety and security concerns.
“If we are not getting that positive vibe, then there is something wrong with the system and that system needs to be improved.”
Ms Kumar then questioned whether recent recruitment drives had delivered measurable results in improving safety.
She questioned whether deploying 400 additional personnel on the ground would deliver value for money, given concerns about productivity.
“In the last budget we were told that 1000 people will be recruited. Has it made any difference in our lives? That’s the question.”
She said greater consideration should be given to alternative policing models used in other countries, including increased use of surveillance technology.
“Instead of spending a lot of money on police personnel, they should spend quite a bit of money in getting cameras around cities and towns.”
She said despite increased manpower, crime remained an ongoing concern.
