The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) now has a new Police Response Team (PRT) facility in Gizo, Western Province.
The new facility, opened on 2 June 2018, was funded under the Solomon Islands Police Development Program (SIPDP). The facility is located at the Gizo Police Station.
Speaking during the handing over and opening ceremony at Gizo, RSIPF Commissioner Matthew Varley says, “I am honoured to be here today to open this new RSIPF Police Response Team Facility in Western Province; a boost for RSIPF operational capability.”
He says, “The SIPDP- funded facility will also be used for RSIPF training courses as well as being a secure planning and briefing venue for police operations.”
“Thank you SIPDP Commander John Tanti for your support towards this next step in the RSIPF’s journey towards building safer communities in the country,” says Commissioner Mr Varley.
Commissioner Varley also highlighted the events that RSIPF has come through this far.
In 2013 the Solomon Islands Government (SIG) endorsed the staged withdrawal of the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (RAMSI).
In March 2015, SIG endorsed the introduction of weapons and training of the PRT and Close Personal Protection (CPP) Team by RAMSI.
Between 2015 and May 2017, RAMSI trained a total of 125 PRT and CPP members to be rearmed.
On 8 May 2017, after endorsement from the SIG the two specialist units in the RSIPF were re-armed.
After rearmament, there was the need to provide a purpose built accommodation to stage PRT operations and to reduce RSIPF costs when deploying PRT to the western region of the country. This would support the provincial policing model, similar to what was already in place in Honiara.
The handover and opening of the PRT facility at Gizo was attended by the SIPDP Commander John Tanti, SIPDP Wing Commander Johnathon Durden, RSIPF Assistant Commissioner for Provincial Police Joseph Manelugu, Superintendent Minister Rev- Beckly Kauhui of the United Church as the community representative, some SIPDP officers and staff, Western Province Provincial Police Commander Mathias Lenialu and RSIPF officers in Gizo and some members of the public at Gizo.