The Fiji Police Force is hoping to secure its own helicopter to improve emergency response, especially in remote areas.
Officer in charge for planning Assistant Superintendent of Police, George Lagi said a helicopter would significantly reduce the time taken to reach places such as Cikobia.
“In areas where it used to take days to respond, it will now only take minutes,” he said.
ASP Lagi said this would also help in their fight against crime which had been on a downward trend for the past five years.
“In 2020, Fiji recorded 24,020 crimes and this number dropped to 18,769 in 2021, then to 17,538 in 2022, and again to 16,098 in 2023.
“However, in 2024, there was a spike, with 20,386 crimes recorded.”
He said despite the recent spike, the long-term data showed progress.
ASP Lagi added the upgrades were helping police respond better and faster, but more support was needed to meet the country’s changing security needs.
