Fiji Police Commissioner Urges Officers to Rebuild Community Trust From Within as Reforms Unfold

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In the latest development in efforts to repair the Fiji Police Force’s reputation, Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu urged officers today to withstand public criticism and take direct responsibility for rebuilding community trust. Speaking to members at the force’s church service, Tudravu acknowledged officers frequently face ridicule and negative comments and called on them not to be discouraged by such remarks.

Tudravu told officers to remain focused on the organisation’s strategic direction and work closely with chief officers to stabilise and grow the force. “Focus on our strategic direction. With the help of your chief officers, I am doing my best to stabilise our organisation and foster growth. Our ultimate goal is to earn the trust and confidence of the community,” he said, urging a measured, inward-looking approach rather than deferring to external fixes.

While defending the broader institution, the Commissioner did not shy away from admitting shortcomings. He said the force is “not perfect” and conceded that the actions of certain officers had fuelled public criticism. Tudravu stressed that officers themselves hold the power to reshape public perception and that restoring the organisation’s reputation “cannot rely on outside intervention.”

His remarks come amid a broader, ongoing push to restore public confidence in Fiji’s security and accountability institutions. In December, a validation workshop convened in Suva to refine a proposed overhaul of the Police Act — a legislative review officials say is aimed at modernising police powers and oversight. More recently, Tudravu announced that new allegations against police officers would be routed to an independent cold case team of retired investigators, a move intended to bolster transparency in high-profile or contested matters.

Taken together, the church-service address and these reform measures underline a twofold strategy: pursue structural and procedural change through legislation and outside reviews, while emphasising internal culture change driven by serving officers and leaders. Tudravu’s focus on strategic direction signals an attempt to marry the operational discipline of the force with accountability steps already under way.

Community reactions and trust remain central to the Force’s operational effectiveness, and Tudravu framed the work of regaining confidence as a long-term project requiring visible conduct change from front-line officers and consistent leadership. He expressed confidence in his leadership team’s ability to strengthen the organisation and restore integrity, insisting that tangible improvements must come from within the force as much as from external oversight.

As investigations and legislative reviews proceed, Tudravu’s appeal at today’s service highlights a leadership effort to shore up morale and discipline internally while navigating public scrutiny. The Commissioner called on officers to rise above criticism and to let strategic reforms and improved conduct guide the Force’s path back to the community’s trust.