RSIPF Officers Join Third Pacific Police Support Group Cohort in Australia

Two officers from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Police Response Department, Police Constables Patterson Podoloka and Faux Kalae, are among 22 police personnel from across the Pacific participating in the third cohort of the Pacific Police Support Group (PPSG) at the Pinkenba Hub in Brisbane, Australia.

PPSG 01/2026 brings together officers from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and, for the first time, Guam. Over the next 24 weeks, participants will undertake intensive training to build operational readiness for both planned and emergency deployments, including major international events, humanitarian missions, and disaster relief operations.

Acting Assistant Commissioner of Pacific Command Phillipa Connell said the program strengthens multinational policing in the Pacific. “During the next six months, these officers will live and train together at the Pinkenba Hub, building the skills and networks needed to respond when Pacific nations call for assistance,” she said.

Six Pacific instructors, including one from the Solomon Islands, are seconded to the PPSG training team. Working alongside Australian Federal Police trainers, they provide mentoring, guidance, and instruction to ensure participants are ready to deploy as a cohesive unit.

The opening ceremony featured cultural performances from current PPSG members, including a Pacific welcome and kava ceremony, celebrating the heritage and solidarity of participating nations. Pacific dignitaries, including the Prime Minister of Tonga, the President of Palau, and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General, toured the hub during the ceremony, highlighting the importance of regional cooperation in policing and security.

Upon graduation, Constables Patterson Podoloka and Faux Kalae will return to the Solomon Islands as part of a regional surge capability, ready to support major events, disaster response, and other security operations across the Pacific.

The PPSG, a multinational police response capability, trains officers in first aid, officer safety, incident command, public order management, disaster response, mass casualty management, and urban search and rescue. The program forms a key pillar of the Pacific Policing Initiative (PPI), a Pacific-led, Australian-supported partnership designed to enhance law enforcement, safety, and security in the region.