Cracking down on crime for safer community through new Policing Centre [1]
Wednesday, September 1, 2010 - 18:44. Updated on Saturday, May 17, 2014 - 18:31.
WORKING together with the public to crack down on crimes in order to achieve safer communities, is the focus of a National Community Policing Coordination Centre, opened at the main Police Station compound in Longolongo on August 31.
The national centre which offers police services to the community of Kolofo'ou comes under a Community Policing Strategy established by Tonga Police on the notion that interacting with the community and getting their support can help control and reduce crime and increase public confidence in police work.
Police Commander Chris Kelley in an opening address in the ceremony on August 31 said the new centre would also be the main coordinating office for the community policing centres already established at Popua, Kolovai, Lapaha and Fua'amotu.
Community Policing Centres manned by police officers provide a place for the community to come to and discuss with law enforcement officers new ideas on how to better the safety of their communities.
Kolofo'ou
A Kolofo'ou community constable would also be appointed for the centre.
In the meantime the police also intend to open five more community policing posts in 'Eua, Ha'apai, Vava'u and Tongatapu in the next 12 months.
The national centre is housed at the former residence of the Chief Fire Officer and was renovated in the cost of $60,000 pa'anga. It has a separate gate on the Eastern side facing Teufaiva Stadium aimed to make it easier for the public to enter.
"Community policing is a policing approach that involves problem solving in partnership with the community in order to improve safety. It is fundamental in how we police are accountable to the community we serve," he said.
Development
The Community Policing Strategy comes under the Tonga Police Development TPDP, a tri-partite program between Tonga and the governments of New Zealand and Australia to assist in redeveloping the Tonga Police.
The TPDP has over $5 million pa'anga in assistance and finances 21 projects of which community policing is one. Another project under the program is a new Police Station at Vaini to be opened next week at a cost of $900,000 pa'anga.
The guest of honour at the ceremony was Noble Fakafanua. Copyright © www.matangitonga.to [2]
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