Police officers petition resists reforms [1]
Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 22:36. Updated on Monday, September 9, 2013 - 18:40.
A petition reportedly signed by 150 police men and women, seeking the suspension of the Police Commissioner, Chris Kelley was presented to the Tongan Cabinet on Friday, March 11.
A copy of the petition has not been made available to the public, but from the little information that we have gathered from the Minister of Police, Hon. Dr Viliami Latu and other high ranking police officers it appeared that the petitioners were dissatisfied with the police reform program introduced under Commissioner Kelly's leadership.
The petitioners have not revealed themselves to the public and have not spoken to the media, but among other things they were said to be dissatisfied over the investigation and disciplinary process of alleged misconduct of police members.
They were not happy with the elimination of an Internal Tribunal and that officers alleged with inappropriate conduct were suspended outright.
They rejected a new promotion process and didn't like the Tonga Police Act 2010 or the restructuring of the police.
The petitioners called for the Police Commissioner to end his working contract with the Tongan government immediately.
The 150 police officers that signed the petition out of the 422 members of the Tonga Police had also put forth for the withdrawal of all promotions by the Police Commissioner during his term.
They claimed he had acted with favouritism allowing privileges to certain individuals and not others that they believed he should have.
The Petitioners called for the repeal of the new Tonga Police Act which came in effect last month on February 21.
They said that the new law was selfish and dictatorial and claimed it was drafted according to Commissioner Kelley's and his consultants' version on how police force should be structured.
These police officers however preferred precedents that were set back in 1968 by a British Advisor which they believed to have worked well.
Petitioners were also dissatisfied over the investigation and disciplinary process of alleged misconduct of police members. This is in regards to the elimination of an internal tribunal and suspending officers outright when there are allegations of inappropriate conduct.
Petitioners then put forth in their view the police commissioner's running of the police the department is unacceptable and they believe he should not continue in his position.
Appeal Committee
The petition was submitted to the Minister of Police Hon Dr Viliami Latu, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Lord Lasike and Prime Minister Lord Tu'ivakano on Thursday, March 10.
The petition was then submitted to the Cabinet's meeting on Friday, March 11.
The petition has now been referred by Cabinet to an Appeal Committee chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister Hon Samiu Vaipulu and three other members including two Cabinet Ministers and the Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Busby Kautoke.
The committee members have not held a meeting in regards to the issue since the Deputy Prime Minister is abroad but there have been talks with those police officers that submitted the petition.
Their names have not been released.
Public confidence
The former Police Commander, now Commissioner Chris Kelley, a New Zealander, was contracted by the Tongan government on September 2008 for a period of three years, with the privilege for a renewal.
Following the destruction of the Nuku'alofa Central Business District by protestors in 2006, the government launched the Tonga Police Development Program in 2007.
This was a five-years Tripartite Partnership Agreement was signed by Australia, New Zealand and Tonga in July 2008, with an allocation of $4 million pa'anga to finance the program.
Chris Kelley was initially appointed as the Commander of the Tonga Police Force on September 2008 to oversee the program aimed not only at redeveloping the Tonga Police but also to win back the confidence of the public in the Tonga police, an objective that has been largely successful.
On Monday, February 21, he became Police Commissioner at the launching of the new Police Act 2010.