IT’S good to see chiefs working closely with police to address law and order issues in the settlements around Honiara.
Their close collaboration with the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force’s (RSIPF) Community Policing Unit has resulted in the low record of criminal cases during the festive season.
It’s not an exaggeration to say that most community crimes occurred in the settlements around Honiara.
It’s also not an exaggeration to say most youths committing crimes in the city came from or lived within the settlements.
Chiefs or community leaders know these youths well.
They live, share, eat, and interact with them daily. They are well positioned to deal with youths who have the potential of causing troubles.
Not only that.
Chiefs and community leaders also commanded a high level of respect from their subjects.
So they are in a better position to control and impact their influence on troubling members of their community.
Police are therefore right to work closely and engage these community leaders in their policing effort.
It seems also that the chiefs are serious in addressing law and order problems in their communities as a group.
Already they’ve formed an association, with a membership of 52 chiefs.
Michael Kwaioloa is currently the association’s president.
He explained the by-laws are designed to curb illegal activities within the settlements.
Mr Kwaioloa said it’s a fact that the majority of residents within the settlements don’t like criminal activities within their neighbourhood.
And they are prepared to work closely with chiefs address criminal behaviour of youths.
So far, the police-chief partnership in addressing community crimes appeared to be working pretty well in the settlements of Honiara.
We hope the partnership will be further developed into the most effective community policing initiative in the future.
And that the engagement of chiefs in this effort will get the government’s recognition in due course.
