Fiji’s Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu will meet with the Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) to discuss the conditions under which military intervention may be warranted in law enforcement operations.
Responding to questions about the thresholds that must be met for military deployment, Tudravu highlighted the importance of discussions between the police, the military, and the Ministry of Policing.
“I discussed it with our minister this morning,” Tudravu said following his courtesy meeting with Minister for Policing Iowane Naivalurua after formally assuming the role today. “The army is always an option available to the police to assist us. They also have their constitutional roles stipulated under the Constitution, so I am mindful of that. But we have to talk on issues. We will discuss this further, and the door is open.”
“The minister will be meeting the commander. I will also be meeting the commander to discuss this issue because if it is a national issue, we need to engage with him. I need to get his side,” Tudravu said.
His remarks follow those of Defence Minister Pio Tikoduadua, who stated in a media briefing last week that military involvement in domestic law enforcement, including addressing the country’s escalating drug issue, would only occur as a “last resort,” with the specific criteria to be defined by the Commissioner of Police. This distinction of roles and the extent of the military’s involvement in domestic affairs will also be outlined in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces Act 1949, which is currently under review.
Meanwhile, Tudravu also acknowledged that “the political and security landscape has changed a lot, shifted a lot,” requiring police to be “cautious” about new crime trends and to refocus manpower and resources accordingly.
“The Fiji Police Force is mandated under the law for the enforcement of all laws and regulations. Given the manpower that we have and the budget that is given by the government, we just need to restrategise on the things that we have and look into what is required—the needs on the ground,” he said.
While the police will continue to maximise existing resources, Tudravu did not rule out seeking additional support from the government if necessary.
“If there’s a need for us to seek more from the government, we’ll do that. But given the resources that we have now, we’ll try and maximise what we have in order for us to move forward in terms of our presence.”
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