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King opens new Vava‘u Police Station [1]

Nuku'alofa, Tonga

Friday, January 24, 2020 - 18:48.  Updated on Friday, January 24, 2020 - 18:50.

King Tupou VI opens the new Vava'u Police Station, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.

King Tupou VI opened a new Vava’u Police Station in Neiafu on January 24.

Accompanied by Queen Nanasipau'u, the King inspected the station, which was constructed with $1.3 million dollars for works that started in June last year.

Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell, said this was one of the successful infrastructure projects supported by the governments of New Zealand and Australia, through the Tonga Police Development Program (TPDP).

It is the ninth main station renovated and built under TPDP since 2010, starting from Vaini, ‘Eua, Pangai, Mu’a, Nukuknuku, Nomuka, Tonga Police College Barracks and the Nuku'alofa Central Police station.

The Commissioner acknowledged the support of the New Zealand and Australian governments.

"To the people of Vava’u, this new Police Station in Neiafu is not our station it is your station. It is not only a place to report crime it is a place to be safe, it is a place for the community to come together to talk about problems and come up with solutions, to strengthen border security and provide a safe haven for the victims of crime and natural disasters and give our officers a decent building to work in."

He said the first role of the Police is to protect its citizens and policing is about serving the community and working hand in hand to keep our citizens and our people safe.

"We come from the people we serve, we must at all times be professional and caring as we uphold the law we are duty bound to uphold without fear or favour, with discretion and common sense."

Combat illicit drugs

The Commissioner was most concerned about the presence of drugs in our communities and the importance of the police working with the communities to hold those who sell drugs to our people to account.

“It is my number one priority,” he said.

Since the launch of the Drug Enforcement Taskforce in April 2018, Police had arrested 376 people to date, seized 42.56 kilograms of methamphetamine, 2.49 kilograms of cocaine, 3.48 kilograms of cannabis, over 40 illegally imported firearms and thousands of illegally imported bullets rounds of ammunition.

He said with enforcement, there must be education and recognized the importance of improved intelligence for support capabilities to staff in Vava’u.

"This Police Station represents a beacon of security in a sea of uncertainty. It strengthens our fight against drugs at the border working together with Customs and other agencies."

Headed by Superintendent of Police Taulango Tapueluelu, the station has 22 police staff.

Attending the event was the Prime Minister Hon Pohiva Tu'i'onetoa, Minister for Police Lord Nuku, Lord Chief Justice Michael Whitten, Australian High Commissioner HE Mr Adrian Morrison, New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Peter Lund and other guests.

The construction was carried out by Puloka Construction Group Ltd. with planning by Calbre Project Managers Ltd. 

King Tupou VI shakes hands with New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner Peter Lund, Vava'u Police Station, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.
Queen Nanasipau'u arrives to the opening of the new Vava'u Police Station, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.
Tonga Police at the opening of the new Vava'u Police Station, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.
Lord Tu'ilakepa, Lord Nuku, Police Commissioner Caldwell and Tonga Police staff, Vava'u Police Station, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.
Police Commissioner Caldwell, New Zealand Deputy High Commissioner Peter Lund, and guests, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.
Prime Minister Hon Pohiva Tu'ionetoa, Lord Chief Justice Whitten, Lord Nuku, Lord Tu'ilakepa, at the opening of the new Vava'u Police Station, Neiafu, Vava'u. 24 January 2020.
Tonga [2]
King Tupou VI [3]
police station [4]
Neiafu [5]
Tonga Police Development Program [6]
Police Commissioner Stephen Caldwell [7]
Police and Crime [8]

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Source URL:https://matangitonga.to/2020/01/24/king-opens-new-vava-u-police-station

Links
[1] https://matangitonga.to/2020/01/24/king-opens-new-vava-u-police-station [2] https://matangitonga.to/tag/tonga?page=1 [3] https://matangitonga.to/tag/king-tupou-vi?page=1 [4] https://matangitonga.to/tag/police-station?page=1 [5] https://matangitonga.to/tag/neiafu?page=1 [6] https://matangitonga.to/tag/tonga-police-development-program?page=1 [7] https://matangitonga.to/tag/police-commissioner-stephen-caldwell?page=1 [8] https://matangitonga.to/topic/police-and-crime?page=1