Fiji police band offers advice

 By CARMELLA GWARE

THERE are many ways of encouraging people to cooperate with law enforcers and the police of Fiji do it through entertainment.

“In Fiji we do not carry firearms around. We win the hearts of our people by singing with them and generally having a good time,” Fijian police band manager Semiti Rokobuli said.

“We are setting an example to the PNG police on what Fiji police can do.”

Rokobuli said they also allow “citizen arrest” where people were allowed to arrest law-breakers before calling  the police to come and get them.

“We also have police programmes where we recruit community leaders as members of the special constabulary,” he said.

Nine members of the police band have been touring Port Moresby since last week.

“This is a fundraising drive for our police academy in Fiji and it is also a community awareness programme,” Rokobuli said.

“We want to help the people and police in Papua New Guinea.”

The band will perform at the Laloki Psychiatric Hospital and at the Port Moresby General Hospital today.

They return to Fiji on Sunday.