NZ Police and RSIPF NCPD delivers week long training course on Family Violence to RSIPF Coordinators

New Zealand (NZ) Police attached to the Solomon Islands Police Support Programme (SIPSP) and the Royal Solomon Island Police Force (RSIPF) National Crime Prevention Department have developed and delivered a Family Violence Training programme for the RSIPF Family Violence Coordinators.

The training focuses on 3 levels of intervention and risk mitigation to prevent Family Violence and to reduce harm and victimisation.

The 3 levels include the first level of response and investigation at a local level with all RSIPF officers who attend and investigate Family Violence.

The second level lies with provincial Family Violence Coordinators who are responsible for training, process awareness, risk identification and mitigation to make victims safe in their homes from Family Violence.

The third level lies with the National Family Violence office who collate all the data collected through the FV100 form and assesses risk nationally and implements training and prevention initiatives to further reduce harm and victimisation for families.

The training brought 30 RSIPF participants from across the provinces to Honiara to receive the training. The training was delivered by RSIPF trainers and stakeholders from the Family Support Centre, SAFENET and Social Welfare.

NZ Police Team Leader (TL) Inspector Warwick McKee says “Family Violence is one of the five drivers of crime across the Solomon Islands. Police are committed to ensure we provide the best service to family violence with a focus on preventing crime before it happens.”

TL McKee says, “Everyone deserves to feel safe and secure in their home. Violence of any form is unacceptable and will not be tolerated – particularly when it is committed by a family member or a loved one upon another member of their family.”

Inspector McKee says, “We are trying to ensure that the RSIPF follows the best process and systems to ensure that Family Violence is identified and appropriately responded to and that all offenders are held to account.

He says, “We want to ensure that all Police and all people within the Solomon Islands challenge this unwanted behaviour and offending and where possible intervene and prevent harm and victimisation within the family dynamic.”

Assistant Commissioner (AC) National Capital and Crime Prevention Mr. Simpson Pogeava says, “Participants, these topics are potentially essential to upskill you and to enhance your capacity to deliver our mandatory role as police officers more efficiently and effectively.”

“Family violence is actually one of the crime drivers embedded within the current crime prevention strategy. Hence, it is our duty to implement what is required and expected of being a professional service provider to the wider population of our nation,” said AC Pogeava.

National Crime Prevention Department Director Superintendent John Matamaru says “This training is exciting for our organisation and our people. We want the RSIPF to be leaders across the pacific in crime prevention and service delivery to our communities particularly in preventing Family Violence.”

Director Matamaru says, “The RSIPF Family Violence coordinators play a vital role in ensuring that all RSIPF officers prioritise and do their best to prevent family violence from happening.

Superintendent Matamaru says, “If we can break the cycle and the mindset of the culture of family violence across our country we can ensure that every Solomon Islander feels safe and secure in their home and within their family relationship.”