Chiefs, church and women leaders from communities in Honiara are to assist the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) maintain law and order during the current political situation being experienced in the country.
This follows a meeting coordinated by the RSIPF National Community Policing Unit with about 20 chiefs, church and women leaders representing settlements in and around Honiara today.
“As part of the Crime Prevention Strategy, we have called you as community leaders who are members of the community prevention committees in your various communities in the capital to discuss how you can assist police maintain law and order during the current political situation being experienced in the country,” Director of RSIPF’s National Community Policing Unit, Superintendent (Supt) Solomon Sisimia told the meeting.
Superintendent Sisimia told the community leaders: “It is important that as community leaders, you must ensure the correct information about the current political situation is passed onto people in your communities and to ensure rumours are not passed around.”
“Police are out in numbers to make sure that law and order is maintained and that families are safe to move around and ensure normal government services are maintained,” said Supt Sisimia.
Some of the leaders who spoke during the meeting welcomed the initiative by the RSIPF to discuss the issues with them.
“We appreciate this meeting so we can be updated on the latest developments with the political situation and the police operations underway. The situation within our communities is normal and people are going about their normal business. Members of the community feel that the current political situation should be left for our National MPs to resolve and that we as a people stay out of it,” said some of the leaders who attended the meeting.
The RSIPF Community Policing Unit will conduct similar outreach meetings in communities in and around Honiara during the coming days.