Naivalurua will consider online complaints portal and phone line for complaints against police officers

Minister for Policing, Ioane Naivalurua is seriously considering the establishment of a dedicated online portal and a dedicated telephone line for members of the public to directly lodge complaints against police officers.

Naivalurua confirmed this in Parliament after Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu asked whether he was looking into establishing these options for the people.

The Minister says these measures will help improve service delivery to the public.

He says that he will issue relevant instructions to the Commissioner of Police, Rusiate Tudravu on actions that could be taken.

Naivalurua highlights that there are two main categories of complaints, Complaints Against Service and Complaints Against Police.

He says there are currently about ten options available for the public to lodge complaints against police officers.

These include the police toll-free line 917, Crime Stoppers 919, social media platforms, the Police Facebook page, the Police website, in-person reports at police stations, written complaints to the Commissioner of Police or divisional commanders, referrals to Internal Affairs, as well as contacting him directly.

Opposition MP Rinesh Sharma also asked whether the Minister would consider establishing an independent body with statutory powers to oversee complaints against police officers.

In response, Naivalurua says the Police Internal Affairs Department currently handles such matters, but improvements are being considered.

This includes exploring whether Internal Affairs should be shifted to enhance transparency and accountability.

He adds that the government may also look into establishing a national emergency or operations centre in the future that could serve as a central hub for receiving all complaints and calls across various agencies.