Visit this site now and click on the link to get the Chiefs full Strategic Direction 2009 -2014.

The full range of criminal activity faced by a normal Police jurisdiction can occur onboard a cruise ship. The fact that a number of these incidents generally occur whilst the vessel is at sea provides unique issues for responding Police.

The Chiefs endorsed New Zealand to lead on this project with assistance from PICP Members and other stakeholders.  New Zealand has drafted guidelines for reporting and responding to crimes committed on board cruise ships in consultation with Carnival Australia, PICP Members and various other stakeholders. The guidelines were endorsed by the Chiefs of Police at the 38^th PICP Conference in Port Moresby.

The focus of this current phase of the project is to review the operational effectiveness of the guidelines and report back at the 39^th PICP Conference. 

For more information on the scope of this project please contact
Federal Agent Nicolle Haigh
Phone +64 4 470 7327 or email nicolle.haigh@police.govt.nz

In 2009, the focus of the project was the development and roll-out of an “Intelligence and Exhibit Handling” Workshop aimed at police-led patrol boats. This workshop was piloted in Samoa in July 2009 during their maritime law enforcement (MLE) training. The roll-out of this workshop was endorsed to continue in 2010. The workshop was developed in consultation with the Pacific Transnational Crime Coordination Centre (PTCCC) and the Australian Defence Force to be run in conjunction with the MLE training.  

This workshop was developed to strengthen the reporting protocols between the Patrol Boats, relevant intelligence teams and the Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN), via the PTCCC, local Transnational Crime Unit (TCU) or Intelligence Units. The workshop also highlights the ‘Enforcement Guide for Transnational Crime’ written by the Secretariat in 2008.  

The workshop consists of up to one day’s training. It highlights the need for a regional approach to address the issue of transnational crime through the increased cooperation and sharing of information. The workshop has currently been run in Samoa, Kiribati and Vanuatu. 

 Report Writing Training

Cook Islands 

June 2009

 Funded by

 UNAIDS, NZAID and AUSAID

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 Welcome to the report writing workshop conducted by the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat. 

 This workshop will help you understand the principles that contribute to getting effective results through report writing and effective communication.

 We aim to build confidence and your ability to write reports well.  You will receive tools and techniques that will assist you to structure and write reports clearly

 About the workbook

 This workbook is intended to be used with live instruction and assistance.

 For this reason we have deliberately kept the information in this book to a minimum.  We hope that during the course you make your own notes to assist your understanding and provide further assistance to you in your report writing.

 Purpose of the training

Busy Police Officers and Managers value reports that are easy to read and understand.  Because the better they can understand what they are reading, the sooner they can act on it.

That is precisely what this training is designed to do – to assist the readers of your work so they can confidently and quickly make decisions based on well written documents.

We hope you enjoy the training.

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 Key Objectives                Most times you will produce a report to achieve  specific results. 

To get those results we want you to write so that:   

Do you understand the importance of a good report

• Your intended readers can quickly understand the main points
• Your intended readers can make decisions
• You use only as many words as necessary to get your main points across

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 Learning                    This training introduces a straightforward process that we trust

                                        you will find useful for most of your report writing.

  Outcomes                By the end of the training you will understand how to  implement the following steps: 

• Obtain clear thinking through good planning, before you write
• Know how to gather data and information
• Develop and arrange content to achieve your desired results
• Self-edit and proof documents effectively

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 How we will achieve   We will use real report writing examples to introduce results  you to the steps in writing effective reports.  You will be given plenty of opportunity to experiment with each technique.  You will also work with others during the training to discuss how the steps will work within your  police service.

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 End results               

 By the end of this training you will be able to:

• Apply a process to all writing tasks you face
• Arrange the content in a way that suits your readers
• Feel able to write a report

 There are a number of key steps to undertake when writing a report. This section takes you through step by step with suggestions for who to involve and where to find more information, and provides a framework for writing your report.

 There are four key steps towards developing a report. 

1. Planning and Preparation 
2. Research and gaining evidence 
3. Involving stakeholders (if required) 
4. Drafting the report

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 The extent and quality of the report will depend on the work done during the planning step.  The amount of planning and preparation can make the difference between the report making sense or being returned to be re-written. 

 Whenever we begin to write a report there is typically some documentation or a meeting attended to explain why a report is required.  Gather all information and begin to treat the report writing as a specific project.

 Things to consider

•        Who is the main reader? (who has asked you to write the report)
•        What is the topic?
•        What do you want this report to achieve?
•        Is there agreement on the subject or will the report be controversial?
•        Who else should be involved (did other people attend the meeting that you may want to consult with?)
•        Who should write the report? (one person or better suit to a team of people)

 How should the work be broken down to manageable tasks, e.g. you begin the report but ask others for data, for youth offending you may need to ask other police officers for information.

       Develop a report writing plan with timelines e.g. when does it have to be completed by, who will I get to peer review it, how long will they take etc.

      Scope how long you think the report will take to write?   What other assistance you may need, e.g. computer access.

       If this is a topic you are unfamiliar with begin reading and talking to others to up skill your knowledge base

       What meetings may be required?  (budget  and time implications)

 Why research and gaining evidence is important

 Understanding the topic will enhance your ability to write the report professionally.  Having a well researched and evidence based report will provide your report with credibility and allow you to professionally guide your Manager. Your report may be used in wider circles so it is important to plan what you want to write and important to make sure it is correct.

 It is important to make sure when attending a meeting that you need to report back on, that your notes are thorough and accurate.  If you are not sure of the topic ask others who attended the meeting or work in the area, to gain wider views of others on the topic. 

 For any writers, researching the topic is important to keep them up to date with what is current in the field. It also adds credibility of the writer and the report by providing a solid background.

 Other reasons

      To identify gaps in your knowledge

      So you become knowledgeable on the subject and can advise your Commissioner or Manager.  The “Boss” does not have time to be an expert on every subject and will rely on you to know the details of the topic

•          To carry on from where others have already reached (reviewing data allows you to build on the platform of existing ideas and    knowledge)
•           To identify others working in the field (this adds weight to your ideas if others agree)
•            To identify opposing views
•            To identify information and ideas that are valid for your project
•            To demonstrate that you have researched the topic and relying on other evidence rather than just your own or your Departments view

  You may need to find data yourself

• Types of Data that may be used
• Quantitative data – that is or may be estimated by quantity: or describing the measuring of quantity
• Qualitative data – pertaining to or concerned with quality or qualities

 Local data – on crime helps to:

•        persuade people of the need for action
•       set a baseline against which to measure change
•       decide priorities

 Data may come from a wide range of sources.

 Sometimes quantitative data on crime/harm is not collected at a local level, and therefore is not available. Qualitative data, such as newspaper articles about crime, or anecdotal information from stakeholder interviews can be useful when quantitative data is limited or unavailable.

 When quantitative data is limited, national research can also be used to indicate where problems are likely to be. Also the use of other data from differing sources should be accessed.  For example data on population If you have a higher than average proportion of youth in your community, you might need more focus on initiatives for young people in your report, than an area with an older population. 

 Sources of useful information that may be available locally include:

      Economic data

•  
  • Income levels
  • Access to employment
  • Density (geographic and per head)

      Social data 

•  
  • Demographics
  • Local drinking patterns and levels of alcohol consumption
  • Health services e.g. hospital admissions
  • Community safety e.g. Community Safety Audit and safety questions within Residents’ Satisfaction Surveys
  • Family Violence
  • Housing (overcrowding etc)

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 Who are stakeholders?

 They are specific people or groups who have a stake in the outcome of the report, and/or may be affected by the activity or report being written.

 There are many people who have a stake in addressing crime ranging from local business to health professionals to community members and those working in the criminal justice system. It is important to get their views on crime related issues and their ideas on how to address it, if that is what your report is about.

 Note – if the report is for internal police staff only, it is imperative staff are given the opportunity to provide input and peer review the report.  You need to make sure your report is accurate and other divisions within police agree with your recommendations. 

Why involve others?

Getting stakeholder input will assist with:

•       informing decisions about what to prioritise in the report
•       letting people know that the report is being written
•       encouraging ownership of the report

It may be possible to use existing meetings or undertake basic analysis such as Community Safety audits or Residents’ Satisfaction surveys to get an indication of stakeholders’ views on crime.

Involving stakeholders

Key people should have reasonably informed views of policing issues but this is an opportunity to give as well as take information. There are a number of ways of gaining information from stakeholders, e.g. questionnaire, interviews, public meetings, road shows, one on one meetings or even putting on a morning tea! 

Factors to be taken into account when planning stakeholder involvement include:

       What information is required

       Who is to be involved – who are the stakeholders

       Other planned consultation that could be adapted to include police issues e.g. attending village meetings

       How the results of the consultation will be communicated to participants

       Representativeness – it is important to reach out into the community, and not just engage those with a loud or persistent voice, or those with organisations or groups that represent them

       ‘Hard to reach’ groups – community involvement processes require specific attention to the needs of groups and individuals who, for a variety of reasons, may not fully participate in consultation or decision-making about local services and projects and may face barriers to their participation unless they are specifically addressed, e.g. sex workers, youth

       Appropriate methods (best way to do it, e.g. if literacy is an issue do not rely on questionnaires, maybe put on a BBQ to get people to come)

       Publicity and communication about the process (posters etc)

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 This step involves drawing the process of report development together into a written document.  Before you write anything always take a few minutes to gather all your information into logical sections.

 Before you begin writing the report Get your thinking Clear

 NOTES

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 It is important to note that this template is just a guide and some headings may not be necessary based on the report you are writing.  Some simple reports may only be a page or two so all headings may not be appropriate.

 This template is just for your guidance, some samples of reports are at the back of the work book. 

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 Some questions that may be asked to help with the planning and preparation process include the following:

          What are the aims and objectives of the report being written?

          What will be the extent and boundaries of the report?

- What is to be included and excluded?

- When does the report have to be completed (date)?

- How much time will it take?

          Who will write the report and what skills are needed?

          What stakeholders are involved in the report (if any) ?

          What is the scope of the report (i.e., what is the community under consideration – a particular region, the whole of the Country, Youth or Gangs for example?

         What data is available, or need to be collected?

          What public or community concerns have been raised about the area covered in the report?

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 This section contains tips for writing your report in a way that is easy to read and accessible for all those who may be interested in reading it.

 Top tips:

• Include definitions
• Avoid using acronyms
• Use page numbers
• Keep formatting simple
• Use diagrams
• Adapt the template and contents for your area
• Include an executive summary

 Include definitions

 It is important to clarify what is meant by key terms like ‘alcohol related harm’ as interpretation may vary depending on what the key issues in your area are. You may develop your own definition during consultation and drafting of your report, which is fine – just remember to include your definition in your report. Include definitions in a appendix in your report if you have a number of them.

 Avoid using acronyms

 In general, you should avoid using acronyms in your report as it is a formal document, but you may wish to use them when space is an issue – in tables, for example. If you do use acronyms, include explanations first and then use the acronym.

 Include page numbers

 Page numbers make it easy for people to quickly find the information they need. This is important in draft versions as well as the final document.
Keep formatting simple

 The formatting of your document should be simple and uncluttered.

•       Don’t use a lot of different fonts or font sizes.
•       Numbered section and subsection headings are a good idea.
•       Use font size 12 or larger and don’t cram too much text onto each page.
•       Don’t just leave formatting till you get to your final version, as clear formatting is important if you want people to read your draft and give you feedback.

 Use diagrams

 Diagrams such as flowcharts can be a very useful way to show relationships and processes, and they help break up text and add interest. Consider using them in your report when you need to explain important relationships or processes.

 Adapt the template and contents for your area

 Remember that the template and content suggested in these guidelines are just a guide for developing your own unique report. Your guide should reflect the issues and initiatives in your area.

 Include an executive summary

 Include an executive summary or an overview of what’s in your report, as a quick reference for readers.

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 From the day you start working as a Police Officer until the day you leave, there are many reports you’ll have to write.

 As an Officer, these reports might be the bane of your life—but the truth is, you’ll have to them no matter where you go. From a simple work assessment report to the high-flying technical crime report, reports are a common form of workplace communication.

Report writing is an essential skill for professionals; master it now

and writing reports won’t have to be a pain. Here’s some frequent questions people ask about writing a good report.

How do I identify my audience?

 A simple way of doing this is while you are writing keep asking yourself

1.         Who asked for they report?

2.         Why have they asked for a report?

3.         What do they need to know?

4.         How will they use the report?

 Ask yourself how much information the reader has on the topic.  If they have little or no knowledge then your report needs to be easy to understand with limited use of ‘jargon’ and technical terms.

 If you are writing a technical report intended to be read by Police experts, then you can assume the reader has some knowledge and may be offended if you write it like they have no idea.  Get someone to check the report who is of similar experience to the audience you are writing for.

 How do I clarify my purpose?

 If you haven’t got a clear picture in your own mind of what the topic is or what to write, summarising the purpose will be difficult.  Ask yourself the following:

1.         What type of report do I need?  Technical, informative, does it require

            recommendations?

2.         How big does the report need to be?

3.         Who is my audience?

4.         What is the aim of the report?

5.         What key points need addressing?

6.         What key information do I want the reader to remember or act on?

 What is the basic structure of a report?

Types of reports can vary greatly; there is however, a basic structure common to most reports, irrespective of their type.

 1.         Title

2.         Executive Summary

3.         Purpose

4.         Background / Introduction

5.         Main body of the report

6.         Conclusion

7.         Recommendations

8.         References

9.         Appendices

 This section deals with writing the important sections of your report the introduction, and conclusion. They are important because 9 times out of 10, readers will focus on these sections.

 Executive Summary, Introductions & Conclusions – What’s the difference?

 An executive summary is a brief statement which outlines the report in full; what was done, achieved, decided and concluded.

 The introduction is a section which states your aims and some required background knowledge. An introduction will also outline the body of the report (where you state what you will do).

Don’t confuse the introduction with the executive summary or the conclusion; they are very different. Writers often confuse the main purpose behind writing an introduction and an executive summary. The common misconception is that one is simply a smaller version of the other (that the introduction is a rewritten, chopped-up version of the executive summary).

However, this is not the case.

 The Executive Summary

 Most reports need an executive summary, they are generally used for reports over 3 pages long.

 •           is a succinct passage which provides a brief outline on what was achieved/decided/concluded in the report.

•           is placed at the front of the report.

•           can be written last so that every bit of necessary detail is taken from the finished report

•           is one part of a report that will certainly be read by your boss The rest of the the report is read then if more detail is required.

 The Conclusion

 The conclusion (along with the introduction and executive summary) is generally the section most read by most Police Executives. If you can conclude your work /findings well, you help your Managers understanding of your work’s significance. achievements and whether your aims have been successful or not.

 Remember, keep it simple!

 1.         What was the original request? Does your work fulfill the requirements?

2.         What does the audience need/want from your report? Have you included it?

3.         When editing your report retain what is important/ relevant, delete what  is not.

4.         Is there much repetition? Can you merge or delete sections?

5.         Do your conclusions come from your findings and not from   generalisations?

 NOTES
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Commissioner Lilomaiava Taioalo of the Samoa Police will welcome some 35 delegates to the conference which will be held at the Developement Bank Building in Apia.

The theme of the conference this year is ethics and integrity with a focus on leadership, accountability and conduct.

The Chair of the PICP WAN,  Sergeant Siripa Uelese and her local counterpart Inspector Rosalia Matamu are ready to host the conference and welcome their sister jurisdictions to Samoa.

Details of the Conference are still to be finalised and the Secretariat and the Samoa Police will be working closely together to make this conference a success.

Cook Islands WAN 2009

Details of the Conference are still to be finalised however the Secretariat and the Australian Federal Police will be working closely together to ensure a successful conference.

Agenda items for the conference have been requested from the Chiefs who are all expected at the conference in August.

Commissioners have been asked to nominate individual officers for the Chairs Award which is given to an officer who has performed outstandingly in their role.  Criteria for the award include:

• The recipient is a current or previous member of a police service that is a member of the PICP.   (The term member applies to both sworn and support staff) 
• That the recipient has demonstrated outstanding service to policing the Pacific Island region and that this is evident across more than one member country. 
• That the identified outstanding service carries a “unique” or “path-finding” nature to it. 
• That the identified outstanding service will benefit police members and police services, or their communities. 
• That the member has an exemplary police record and that they will potentially be a role model for other police members

Papua New Guinea 2009

 In 2009 the PICP Secretariat conducted the first ever ‘For police by police behavioural research project’.  The research is designed to ask questions about the participant’s knowledge, attitude and behaviour on the following key themes; policing, alcohol, drugs, Human Rights, HIV and their personal relationships.  We ask questions as diverse as why they joined the police to their knowlede on how HIV is transmitted.  The first two police jurisdictions to take part in the research were the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary and the Samoa Police Force.  Over 900 sworn men and women police officers have been involved in the research to date

 The reason we are undertaking such research is to provide the Police Commissioners accurate data with which to identify priorities for planning effective policies, intervention and prevention programmes and what resources may be required based on evidence of need.  It is also an opportunity for sworn police officers to answer questions in an honest but totally confidential manner, thus highlighting to the Police Executive what their staff truly believe and the knowledge they have as police officers.  The project team can guarantee confidentiality to the participants as all questions and answers are collected using specifically programmed laptops, with the questions both in English and the specific country’s language.  We have also provided audio files so the questions can be read to the participant to aid understanding.  We have received excellent feedback from participants using the computers, we have been told how easy they are to use, even by people who have never seen or touched a computer before.

 The research also allows the PICP to enable comparison between Police and other populations to measure if Police have an increased risks based on the work they do within communities and on overseas missions/deployment.  Thus allowing Police in the Pacific to have their own data and not be included in the Military data as often is the case.  Police will also be able to measure progress and changes in attitude and behaviour within their sworn police staff by using this information as ‘baseline’ data.

 The PICP research will also be of benefit to those countries who have undertaken the survey, in applying for funding to donors.  The police service will be able to apply for funding based on evidence of need and will be able to show what the funding achieved by repeating the survey questions and looking for changes in the data.    

 The research will again be conducted in 2010 in the Marshall Islands and Vanuatu Police Forces.  We will then be in an excellent position to write up the results, present them to the Police Commissioners concerned and also make some of the data available to also highlight some of the excellent staff we have within our Pacific Police Services. 

Samoa Police participating in the behavioural research survey

Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary participating in the behavioural research survey

Women’s Advisory Network

2009 NEWSLETTER

Message from the Chair:                  

 O le viiga ma le faafetai I lo tatou Atua, e tatau pea ona mua ona sii, aua ua ia faia measilisili mo tatou, i lona alofa faaaliali ua ia aumaia ai le ola ma le malosi, ua mafai ona faataunuuina tofi ma tiute ua tofia ai tatou. 

Talofa lava, Malo le soifua laulelei ma le lagi e mama, i le susu a susuga i Komesina o Leoleo i le Pasefika, aemaise le mamalu o Tamaitai o loo galulue i totonu o Matagaluega a Leoleo i le Pasefika atoa. Malo lava le soifua.

It is my pleasure and an honour to share with you all my views in relation to our young but dynamic organisation – The Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Women’s’ Advisory Network.

 As your current chair, I am driven by a strong passion “to improve working conditions for all women in pacific policing”. Research has proven that women are being neglected and eventually driven out of policing organisations’ because of the harsh working conditions policing organisations in the Pacific currently offer.

 BUT, despite all these, a ray of light is shining through the dark, bringing new hope, strength and direction. That ray of light is You and I (PICP-WAN) who have the passion to overcome all obstacles until we give birth to our vision which is:

“To be recognised as a respected entity which is valued for its contribution to the improvement of policing in the Pacific”

 The only key to our success in making this dream come true is in our hands. We must work together to achieve our yearly agreed targets, so we could collectively help each other through the PICP-WAN. Keeping in mind that improved working conditions, bring about beneficial changes for all officers.

 Do not be weary or procrastinate in doing good work for the good of all. We have an obligation to women in policing now and the future.

 We should not let the future women in policing suffer because we failed to play our role, as the saying goes, “where there is a will, there’s a way” and “all good things come to those who wait” and I believe we have waited for a long time for this to happen so the time for us to ACT is NOW!

Sergeant Siripa Uelese

PICP WAN Chair

__________________________________________________________________

 PICP Secretariat Update:

Accountability for WAN

 It is my pleasure as the Secretariat Officer and Project Manager of the WAN project to offer my thoughts on the 2009 year that is just about over and to think about 2010 which does not appear to be too far away.

 As everyone would be aware the world has gone through and still feeling the effects of the biggest financial recession in decades.  Many organisations or companies have folded and no longer exist due to lack of resources or not being able to achieve their goals and have had to close. 

 In this economic environment we now find ourselves living in, the WAN must also ask the same hard questions of it, as other organisations are having to.  Those questions are around value for money and positive outcomes for women in police.  It appears to me that we all have to become smarter and more accountable in everything the WAN undertakes, as scrutiny by donors become much more vigilant and their demand for improved change becomes much more focused.

 The PICP WAN as a regional organisation has been successful in bringing interested parties together for a conference, it has not however enjoyed the same success in overcoming issues faced by women policing in the Pacific. Do we as the PICP WAN have a clear pathway on how we would achieve this and the time it would take; if no, how do we change that?

What do I think accountability would look like for WAN?

•  At the recent WAN conference held in the Cook Islands members were asked to provide their Chiefs/ Commissioners with a report on the conference.  Fifteen of the 18 jurisdictions supplied this report.   Which in some respects was a milestone given that the previous year no reports (known by the Secretariat) had been forwarded to the Secretariat or the Chiefs.  This type of activity has to continue, expand  and improve. 
• An undertaking by the membership to have Youth Crime Surveys and reports to Chiefs/Commissioners prior to their conference in September resulted in only 5 out of 18 furnishing the appropriate reports.  This kind of result will place the WAN as an organisation in jeopardy, as many Chiefs present had to admit they had not received a report and were frustrated.  This was an opportunity to impress your Chief and show him the work you were capable of as a group.

 So saying that members are going to complete work is one area that needs to be improved.  The next is communication.

•  Attempts to establish a sister city programme has over the past three years not been successful for varying reasons.  One of those is communication between Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand. It is important to the WAN that members of the network communicate with each other about issues that are occurring in jurisdictions.  The conference is a place to meet new people and we expect you to keep in touch and help each other out.  There is no point in meeting for three days and then not communicating until the next conference.

 One of my roles as the Project Manager for WAN, is to be successful in gaining funding for the WAN conference and exchanges.  This means providing NZAID with evidence of the work undertaken by members and the standard of that work.  The days of coming to a conference and sitting there for two days, collecting per diems and going shopping are gone. 

More responsibility for the conference by members needs to be taken and so next year more of you will be asked to present at the conference.  After all it is your conference and the Secretariat is merely the facilitator and administrator.

 The e mail list that the Secretariat uses to contact WAN members can be used by anyone in the network to communicate with each other.

 I look forward to hearing your views on what is the best way to raise our standards and become more accountable to our Donors and indeed police women.  We need to discuss how we can, over the next 3 years, make some very marked improvements in our attitudes as WAN members. The Secretariat will be striving for improvement in this time period which will benefit women and Police forces in general around the Pacific.

 Dave Potaka

PICP Secretariat

 __________________________________________________________________

 Tonga Police, Women’s Advisory Network (WAN)

Inaugural Conference.

 The Tonga Police Women’s Advisory Network held their first Conference in Nuku’alofa, Tonga on the 22 -23 October 2009.  The conference was attended by 58 of the 72 women Police and Civilians in the Tonga Police who as a group have given faithful service to the Tonga Police for over 30 years.

 It was an excellent conference that was appreciated by all the delegates and presenters who attended.  The Commander of the Tonga Police should be congratulated for his vision and determination to hold this conference especially with the two disasters that he and the Tongan Police have had to deal with over the past few months.

 The challenge now for the Tonga WAN is to show leadership both locally and regionally in identifying issues that affect women in policing and ensuring that these issues are not only bought to the attention of the Police Commander but that sustainable solutions are found that will make improvements to the Tonga Police Force and the Tongan Community.

 Lau’aitu Po’uli -‘o- Tonga Tupouniua 

Assistant Police Commander

Tonga Women’s Advisory Network

__________________________________________________________________

Media

Arresting women

 PHOTO

A Samoan women & apos;s advocate says many policeman believe law enforcement work is unsafe for women. [ABC]

Kate McPherson

Last Updated: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:41:00 +1100

The Samoan chair of a Pacific women’s advocacy group is pushing for more acceptance of women in the region’s police forces.

Siripa Uelese, the chairwoman of the Women’s Advisory Network which is part of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat (PICP), is leading the call for policewomen to be given equal opportunities in law enforcement.

She says many policemen believe law enforcement work is unsafe for women.

“But then we have the same skills, we have the same experience and yet we’ve been under-utilised,’ she told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat program.

She says they should not just be placed in desk jobs if they are capable of performing other roles.

“The policing organisations… are very dominated by men and they have females wanting to come into the policing organisation, [but] they are quite discouraged in the way that they will only be used for secretarial work, you know that kind of job, just sitting behind a desk, and not being able to go out into the field and do investigations,” she said.

The Secretariat Officer of the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police, Dave Potaka, says the role of women in police work needs to be assessed.

“Women are quite capable, and are getting paid the same amount of money as the men are, so there’s no reason why they can’t – they have the same abilities,” he said.

“It’s been pointed out to me that probably the only thing they can’t do is search male prisoners, as men can’t search women prisoners. Otherwise they should be able to do the job exactly the same.”

Inspector Dave Potaka says the Chiefs of Police in the Pacific would benefit from discussions on how to progress opportunities for women.

But he says change will not be quick.

“So the changes that are required are going to be slow, but I think the Women’s Advisory Network can go a long way in advising the chiefs and getting some change.”

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Sister City Initiative:

The results of the sister city survey conducted at the 2009 PICP WAN conference have been collated. The outcomes are as follows:

 Contributions were received from 32 delegates from 20 countries including Fiji.

12 of these countries have WAN networks.

 Frequency of meetings:

 PICP WAN attendance 

 Assistance already being provided:

Financial assistance for post graduate studies

PRPI – Train the trainers program

COP, Radar, refresher courses

PRPI – Sexual Abuse training

Exchange programs

PRPI – Police Development Program

CMIS training

Interpol General Secretariat set up.

PRPI – United Nations Training

AFP training advisor/development team (Nauru)

NZ Hosting PICP secretariat – providing assistance to PICP & PICP WAN

PICP assistance to attend PICP WAN

 Avenues of Assistance identified as beneficial:

Exchange programs

Setting up Networks

Mentoring

Coaching

Practical assistance – Sporting Equipment

Training

Advanced Intelligence Training

Assistance with job applications

Ability for some skilled Delegates to share their knowledge with others

Improving Communication

Specialist Forensic training

Training in Policy, Planning and Procedures

Report Writing Skills

 What has been identified since the PICP WAN is that some of these concerns are already being addressed through development programs.  Next steps are to follow up on these items with the AFP International Deployment Group (IDG) to establish which are already being delivered through their current programs and proposed future programs.

 It has also been identified that some informal sister city arrangements are already in place – these we hope to follow up on and coordinate through PICP Secretariat.

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Recognition:

ACWAP Awards – 2009

Award for Excellence in Policing in the Asia Pacific Region -This award recognises those who have developed or implemented an innovative and flexible solution that has significantly improved policing for women in the Asia Pacific region; and significantly contributed to the improvement of policing outcomes for women in the Asia Pacific region.

 Finalists:

Inspector Florence TARO:  Royal Solomon Islands Police Force

Florence has shown great dignity, leadership, professionalism, pride, work ethic and compassion to victims of sex offences throughout the Solomon Islands under trying conditions.

 Sgt Veronica ARONASAKA: Royal Solomon Islands Police Force.

Veronica truly understands what the community wants from its police service and she delivers ‘on this want’ with much determination, resilience and with such a gentle approach.

 Winner:  

Det Sgt Tinol PAKIPON – Officer in Charge of the Sexual Offences Squad in Port Moresby, Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary

Tinol is an experienced member with a total of 25 yrs in policing recognised for being an outstanding, passionate and dedicated detective who is respected and is renowned as an expert on sexual offence investigations.  Professional, honest, and reliable this member has strived to uphold the law whilst providing a valuable service for victims.  In an Australian Government report, the serious problems of violence against women were acknowledged and specifically the unit this member manages, was found to be under resourced, under trained and that the officers working in these sections were given low priority by other police.  However the report also found that despite this, women reported receiving better attention from these specialist units than when they had to report to the front desk of a police station.    

 The unit this member manages has three computers between 10 staff, they are housed in a run down office that does not have proper ventilation let alone enough room to cater for the enormous work load which averages 3 to 4 reported cases of serious sexual assault daily.  All interviews are done either by handwritten statements or using the computer if the power is working and they have paper to print on.  The member encourages and motivates staff to keep them going even when conditions are overwhelming and hopeless.

 On a recent rural trip the member gave other officers hope, support and encouragement. They questioned their ability to do anything for victims, not because they couldn’t do their role but because they were faced with not even having the basic tools to enable them to perform their role.  No petrol in their vehicle, no paper to write on, no computers, no camera to record evidence, no private area to speak to victims, and no safe house to take victims to. The member acknowledged their concerns; spoke of similar conditions and provided strategies and guidance on how to remain motivated. 

Having investigated hundreds of sexual offences from all levels of society, this member has been recognised previously in 2006 receiving the Law and Justice Sector Award for being the Most Outstanding Police Officer.

 His nominee says, ‘To do what he has done for the last 17 years for the women of Papua New Guinea and the victims of Sexual Offences is inspirational.  He is a leader in this field and a much needed role model.

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 2009 in Review

3 – 4 June                   6^th PCIP WAN Conference – Cook Islands

May 2009                  Commander Chris Kelley Tonga Police 

June  2009                Commissioner Maara Tetava  Cook  Islands Police

 29 June 2009          Commissioner Cedric Netto – Nauru Police

July 2009                  Commissioner Tipelu Kauani to Tuvalu  Police

July 2009                  Chief Mark Chenery appointed to Niue Police 

August 2009            Commissioner  Joshua Bong  Vanuatu Police

September 2009     Commissioner Gari Baki New PICP Chair -RPNGC

September 2009     Commissioner Lilomaiava Fou Taioalo to Samoa Police

25-26 July 2009     6th Anniversary of RAMSI – Solomon Islands.

 2 – 4 September      38^th PICP Conference in Papua New Guinea

 22-23 October         First Tonga WAN Conference.

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 Calendar for 2010

February                   ACWAP 2010 Awards open.

June                             PICP WAN meeting Samoa

September                 PICP Conference in Australia

August                        ACWAP Awards 2010 – Brisbane, Queensland AUS  

29 September          Police Remembrance Day

25 November           White Ribbon Day - Elimination of Violence              Against Women.