FWCC receives 240 complaints about No Drop Policy implementation but police say they register and investigate all complaints

The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre says they have received 240 complaints from 2004 to 2018 by women where police officers have allegedly failed to implement the No Drop Policy while the police say that all officers have to register and investigate all cases of violence against women and children.

Under the No Drop Policy, all cases reported need to be registered and dealt with by police.

While making a submission to the Public Accounts Committee on the Report on Performance Audit on Coordination of Actions for Elimination of Violence Against Women, Crisis Centre Legal Officer, Lavenia Raisua says some police officers have compelled women to reconcile or some officers have failed to record a police complaint and investigate.  

She says that despite the existence of the No Drop Policy since 1995, there has been a lack of systematic training given to police officers to ensure proper implementation of this policy 

Raisua also says that there is also a great need to train the officers on such policies.

Raisua adds that while the Fiji Police Force has indicated that they have recently completed the review process of the No Drop Policy with the revised policy still in its draft stage, it is crucial for the work of elimination of violence against women that such a framework contains relevant input from relevant stakeholders and they were not consulted in the revision of the policy.     

Police Director Strategic Planning, SSP Aporosa Lutunauga says any report lodged in line with gender based violence, domestic violence or Domestic Violence Restraining Order violation and offences against children, is dealt with in the front line.

He says front line supervisors are held accountable, ensuring all reports and complaints are attended to and investigated in accordance to the legislation and policy.

He adds that police officers are taught about No Drop Policy at all levels and they are also being trained by the FWCC, UNDP and Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission in regards to No Drop Policy and rights of people.

Meanwhile, the Auditor General’s 2019 Report has recommended that the Fiji Police Force should finalize the revised No Drop Policy without any further delay and ensure that police officers are trained for its implementation.