Officers reminded they can be recorded on smartphones

FIJI – Fiji’s Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho has reminded police officers that the way they deliver their services to members of the public can now be recorded or captured with the use of smartphones.

Brig-Gen Qiliho highlighted this while addressing 30 officers who were undergoing a three-day training workshop conducted by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on vital areas such as detention, the use of force, firearms and ethical conduct.

“This leaves us absolutely no room to be tweaking things,so to speak, when it comes to the handling of persons in our custody or in general the conduct of our work,” he said.

“But, the reality is there really shouldn’t be any alteration of the way things are done. It’s that simple. End of story.

“For our officers from Fiji, if you get caught in one of these situations where the power of technology shows you abusing your authority, or the failure to obey directives – I will be the first to show you the door.

“I want to bring back the days where police officers are respected and held to the highest regard by the public. This has waned because of the actions of a few.”

Brig-Gen Qiliho said the training would enhance the knowledge of officers and also advise them on how to exercise their powers and on the principles of arrest, detention, search and seizure, and the use of force and firearms.

Red Cross head of regional delegation for the Pacific, Fred Grimm said they had added a new development for this year’s seminar.

“Visit to prisons, police stations and immigration detention centres are a core activity of ICRC and the findings and recommendations of these visits are then discussed confidentially with the relevant authorities to ensure that the treatment and living conditions of detainees are in line with internationally recognised standards,” he said.

- Fiji Times