The Head of Tonga Police Drug Enforcement Taskforce, Detective Acting Superintendent Halatoa Taufa was recognized for his leadership and commitment, when he received a prestigious award at the 48^th Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) Conference.

Held in American Samoa on August 21-23, Halatoa is the second Tongan to receive the PICP Chair Award, with the first awarded to Acting Chief Superintendent of Police Tevita Vailea in 2016.

Halatoa’s work with the Taskforce since it was launched in April 2018 has seen the drug crime rate decrease with 270 people arrested to date, the youngest a 13-year-old youth.

Police also seized 33.8kg of methamphetamine, 3.7kg of cannabis and 2.4kg of cocaine as well as 45 illegally imported firearms.

This high rate of drugs arrests by the Taskforce has impacted serious crimes in Tonga significantly with reductions in homicide from 10 in 2018 to one this year, robberies from 22 in 2018 to one, housebreaking from 396 to 153 and road fatalities from 21 in 2018 to three this year.

Preventing drugs' harm

Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell who attended PICP, said the conference's focus was in line with the Tonga Police strategy flowing from his priority to strengthen it's partnership with communities through education and awareness campaign in the fight against illicit drugs.

The focus of ‘Preventing drug harm within our communities’ saw Tonga Police present their journey in combating illicit drugs, the challenges, policy response and changing policing approach in moving forward.

"We understand the importance of working together as a community to ensure the safety of everyone. One way to improve this community partnership is allowing communities to take ownership of existing security issues and working together to come up with viable solutions."

In addition, it was noted that the Pacific region have seen an increase in the shipment of both methamphetamine and cocaine.

For transit countries the risk of a local user market developing is very high with some countries recording increase in use and harm, so to address this problem the Pacific Chiefs are committed to cross jurisdictional co-operation and working together, he said.