Four police officers have recently been charged with serious crimes, including assault causing actual bodily harm, rape, and receiving bribes, as revealed in the Fiji Police Force’s Overall Crime Rate report for October. This alarming news adds to the concerns surrounding the behavior of law enforcement personnel.
During this reporting period, there was a notable rise in serious assaults on police officers, with 22 incidents recorded. In contrast, the majority of reported crimes involved drugs, including 160 cases linked to marijuana and 20 to methamphetamine, alongside a single cocaine case.
The report also highlighted a significant increase in crimes against children, which surged by 39 percent. A distressing 64 percent of these cases were sexual offences, while 28 percent were related to assaults. Furthermore, 13 percent of these incidents were domestic in nature, with all perpetrators being male family members. Among the victims were 90 girls and 78 boys, drawing attention to the urgent need for protective measures in homes.
Crimes against women also saw a slight increase of 0.5 percent, with 85 percent of these incidents categorized as assaults. Of these cases, 36 percent were confirmed as domestic-related, involving notably high occurrences of violence from partners and relatives. Additionally, serious crimes increased by 17 percent, with sexual offences rising by 32 percent and domestic violence against women and children escalating by 42 percent.
Despite these alarming trends, the report noted a decrease in cases of robbery and aggravated robbery. The rise in illicit drug cases, predominantly found in the Southern, Western, and Central Divisions, correlates with an increasing focus on drug enforcement efforts; specifically, 176 relate to unlawful drug possession and five to cultivation.
Acting Commissioner of Police, Juki Fong Chew, acknowledged the worrying rise in crimes against women and children occurring primarily in domestic settings. He emphasized the need for collaboration among stakeholders to tackle the root causes of these issues and reaffirmed the Fiji Police Force’s commitment to combating drug-related offenses with community support. The launch of a festive season operation aims to foster partnership efforts to enhance public safety.
While the statistics provide a stark picture of rising crime rates, it is hopeful to see the proactive measures being taken by the police force and their commitment to working with the community to address these issues. Initiatives aimed at building safer communities highlight a collective responsibility toward reducing crime and supporting victims.
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