Minister attends Police Conference
In July 2012, an invitation was extended to the Minister of Police Hon. Teariki Heather (‘the Minister”) to attend the 41st Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (“PICP”) Conference in Honiara, Solomon Islands in August 2012. This invitation was instigated by Commissioner Tetava as he saw the need for Minister’s of Police to have an appreciation of the issues addressed by Pacific Police chiefs at the international level. Minister Heather’s presence was seen by Chiefs as very positive as there is a pressing need for government’s in the region to support policing efforts in fighting crime not only on the domestic front but also on the international scene.
The Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (“PICP”) is a nonprofit organization made up of police services in the Pacific. The PICP works to improve policing in the Pacific by providing a common voice on law enforcement, providing a forum to share ideas and information on crime and policing, and coordinating training and development activities for its members. The PICP currently has 20 members, ranging from the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas in the north, New Zealand in the South, French Polynesia to the east, and the Republic of Palau to the west. Within member territories, there are more than 75,000 serving officers.
The Chiefs of Police in the PICP meets annually and take turns in hosting the conference.
The Cook Islands Police Service has hosted the conference twice before.
The invitation to the Minister included an offer by the PICP Secretariat to meet all of the Ministers travel and accommodation costs. This invitation was accepted by the Minister and endorsed by Cabinet.
The Minister and Commissioner Maara Tetava travelled to the Solomon Islands on Sunday 19th August 2012.
The Minister became the guest of honour for the Chiefs at every official function including the opening ceremony on Tuesday 21st August 2012.
Courtesy calls were made by the Minister on the Solomon Islands Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Police whereby messages of appreciation were conveyed on the support that the Cook Islands Police Service has contributed to the peacekeeping mission in the Solomon Islands. Cook Islands Police Service officers have contributed officers through the International Participating and Monitoring Team (“IPMT”) when the Ethnic tensions commenced. This mission was later changed to the Regional Assistance Mission to the Solomon Islands (“RAMSI”) are continuing to participate in. We hope to again contribute by sending another two officers in the next deployment.
The Minister was also the keynote speaker at his last official function which was an official dinner hosted by the Australian Federal Police. It was at this function that the Minister accepted on behalf of the Cook Islands Police Service the offer to host the 42nd Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Conference in 2013.
Commissioner Tetava’s comments:
“It was most humbling for me to have my Minister with me. He became part of us. He had the opportunity not only to consult with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Police at the government level but with the Pacific Chiefs of Police on policing issues also. He also witnessed first hand the RAMSI program which we have been an integral part of since its inception. He now has a wider appreciation of policing issues in the region and internationally and most importantly how his Police service has been contributing to the peacefulness of the wider Pacific.”
Ministers comment:
“The PICP conference gave me a better appreciation of the high level policing issues that the Police Chiefs tackle at the international level..
I was very fortunate to visit the RAMSI camp and to receive a briefing on the RAMSI mission. I am proud of the contribution that the Cook Islands Police Service has made through the International Peace Monitoring Team when the ethnic tensions first started in the Solomon Islands and now RAMSI.
Our Commissioner and our Police Service is highly regarded in the region.

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