The Fiji Police Force has launched a national campaign this morning to combat sexual offences.
Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Ioane Naivalurua directed all police officers to go out into the communities and speak on the issue.
The directive challenges all police officers to take ownership of the issue.
During a daily morning brief with the Police Command Team that includes Divisional Police Commanders, Commissioner Naivalurua challenged senior officers to lead the outreach.
“We need to reach out to everyone, to all individuals, to every family, community leader, basically everyone and start talking about this,” Commissioner Naivalurua said.
“From the Commissioner’s level to the most junior constable, all are to talk to members of the public on how to prevent social ills such as sexual offences.
“We must face up to the issue of crimes and sexual offences, openly talk about it and find solutions.”
Such awareness can be carried out by police officers when they perform their routine police work in communities, attending village and district meetings, provincial meetings, religious gatherings, schools, youth group, sports meetings, house to house visits – just about every opportunity to interact with the public must be used to create awareness on sexual offences.
All police officers must also create awareness on the prevention of other crimes as well.
The Fiji Police Force is taking a lead role in combating sexual offences, rallying for community participation to eradicate sexual offences and bring down rates of crimes against women and children.
The force is challenging everyone in Fiji to ‘Stand Up and Be Counted – ‘Say No to Sexual Offences, Say No To Crime,’ and protect children, who make up the bulk of victims.
The directive is reflective of the interventionist, crime preventative approach of the force as it transforms from just being purely law enforcers, to generating solutions for crime prevention within communities.
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