The review of Fiji’s Police Act of 1965 is now underway, with public submissions opened from yesterday as authorities launch a nationwide consultation process.
The Ministry of Policing, the Office of the Solicitor-General and the Fiji Police Force formally kicked off the consultation at the Suva Civic Centre. Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu said the current Act is outdated and must be revised to reflect today’s operating environment. He stressed that the review will help shape a police service better equipped for modern challenges and prepared for the future.
Officials say the process will include nationwide public meetings — from town and village halls to community centres across Viti Levu and Vanua Levu — and will provide options for online submissions so citizens and organisations can contribute their views. Stakeholders previously involved in related reform work have identified priority areas that are likely to feature in the review: clarifying and modernising police powers, improving use-of-force rules and accountability, protecting whistleblowers and informers, strengthening community policing models, updating training with an emphasis on ethics and sensitivity, and harnessing contemporary technology while safeguarding privacy and rights.
Why the change matters: the Police Act dates back six decades and does not fully address complex, modern forms of crime, new policing technologies, or contemporary human-rights standards. Updating the law aims to remove legal gaps that limit operational effectiveness and to introduce internal and external accountability mechanisms that rebuild public confidence.
What citizens can do: the consultation provides an opportunity for Fijians to shape how policing is regulated and delivered. Submissions and participation in local meetings can influence matters such as use-of-force policy, community policing arrangements, oversight and transparency measures, protections for vulnerable groups, and training standards for officers.
Comments and suggestions
– Encourage public engagement by asking specific, actionable questions in submissions (for example: how should community policing be structured locally? What safeguards are needed around new digital tools?).
– Advocate for clear oversight and complaint-handling mechanisms to strengthen accountability and trust.
– Consider pushing for explicit protections for vulnerable groups and stronger whistleblower safeguards.
Logical note
Modernising primary policing legislation is a foundational step — it sets the legal framework that allows operational changes (training, technology, oversight) to be implemented effectively. Without updated law, reforms can be constrained by outdated powers or procedural limits.
Hopeful outlook
If the consultation is genuinely inclusive and the resulting reforms balance effective policing with human rights and community partnership, the review could deliver a more accountable, professional and responsive police force that better protects all Fijians.
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