By SALOTE QALUBAU
Acting commissioner of police Ravi Narayan stressed the maritime police’s crucial role in safe guarding Fiji waters at the official opening of the maritime division command centre at Draiunibota, in Lami on Friday, February 14.
“Our role expands to ensuring safety as much as possible, patrol waterways to try to maintain law and smuggling, drugs, a host of other potential crime and violations including abnormal boat behavior, it’s a pleasant but often stressful responsibility,” ACP Narayan said.
He also highlighted the need for possible expansion of services through coastal security, conservation law enforcement, smuggling patrols, diving search operations and coordination of operations and work with other agencies with similar assets such as the Fiji Navy and other authorities.
“To be effective and efficient in our operations we need to acquire these capabilities and train our officers in many rescue disciplines including, first aid, vessels dewatering, and firefighting. We also need to train officers for rescue and scuba diving,” ACP Narayan added.
Certificates were presented by ACP Narayan to three officers who had been trained as boat operators.
Fiji Police Force currently has eighteen fiber boats which are distributed throughout Fiji while the “Veiqaravi” vessel is undergoing repairs.