Police have moved to clear up widespread confusion, telling headteachers in Lautoka, Nadi and the Yasawa islands that they have the authority — and the duty — to question students suspected of involvement in illegal activity. Sergeant Asenaca Taufa, the police juvenile officer for the western division, made the point repeatedly at a district symposium this week as she sought to counter misinformation circulating among school leaders.
“Yes, you can question the child because you have to get the information in order to report to us,” Sgt Taufa told the gathering, stressing that teachers are often the frontline in spotting and documenting concerns. She urged educators to engage sensitively with students to obtain factual details — where the alleged offence originated, what happened and who else might be involved — and to then pass accurate information on to police.
The clarification followed concerns raised by Donato Labalaba, headteacher of Amichandra Memorial School, who recounted a troubling case from a previous posting in which a child was allegedly used to transport drugs and paid $50 for doing so. Labalaba said the student then spent the money at the school canteen, and that in households where no one is employed teachers often face difficult choices about how to intervene or whether to wait for police involvement.
Sgt Taufa said teachers should not wait. “You can ask where it is from, what happened, whatever information you have you can report it, and we will take it from there,” she said, adding that questioning should be done as part of teachers’ legal responsibility to ensure student welfare during school hours. She also addressed persistent false claims that educators were barred from questioning pupils, reiterating, “No, you can, you can always speak to that child, and you can always question that child.”
Beyond questioning, Sgt Taufa encouraged school leaders to complete Child Welfare Act forms with accurate and detailed information to assist police investigations. Accurate documentation, she said, helps police determine the next steps and ensures that a child’s circumstances are properly assessed by statutory services.
The police message aims to strike a balance between protecting children’s rights and empowering schools to act as safe points of contact when students are vulnerable or exploited. By clarifying the scope of teachers’ duties and urging prompt reporting, authorities hope to close gaps in response that can leave children exposed to criminal networks or harmful situations.
School administrators at the symposium were given practical guidance on the kinds of information to collect and how to lodge reports with juvenile units. Police have reiterated that once teachers provide initial information, officers will take over investigations and apply the appropriate legal and welfare measures.
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