By Losirene Lacanivalu, Cook Islands News
Cook Islands Police have been facing staffing shortages due to budget cuts and uncompetitive remuneration, prompting a restructuring effort to improve recruitment and retention. Photo: Cook Islands News
After several months of facing staffing shortages due to budget cuts and uncompetitive remuneration, Cook Islands Police Service could see some changes including an improvement in their pay.
This would be the first task of the Commissioner for Police Teokotai Joseph.
Speaking to Cook Islands News yesterday, Commissioner Joseph said that looking into the needs of the Police Service, which includes improving their pay, would be his first task in the top cop job.
He believes that an increment could boost the morale of the police service and it is his first thought that the Police Service receive an increment.
Commissioner Joseph who officially took on the role this week said, "My first task is to see the need of the staff, which is maybe an increment. So maybe that is the first step. From that, then two little things just to improve and to take us to the new financial year."
"It's to boost the morale of the staff."
He said the increment is one way of motivating the staff and for them to know that they are valued.
In terms of addressing the shortage of police officers, he said there has been five recruits into the police force and with the initiative for an increment; it could be an opportunity to encourage more people to join the police service.
"But it's not only about that. It's about having people that are passionate to work with the police officers."
It was earlier reported that the service was in need of at least 46 staff across the board of all divisions and the Frontline Police Division was down by more than 50 per cent.
Staffing shortages due to budget cuts and uncompetitive remuneration has prompted a restructuring effort to improve recruitment and retention.
Police had an allocation of $245,000, of which $145,000 will be used to re-establish community policing and $100,000 to strengthen the Police Advisory Committee, according to the Supplementary Budget that was tabled in Parliament in February this year.
Commissioner Joseph said he will also look into other matters such as the training of the police team, where training needed to be contextualised, "to suit our environment."
He said there needed to be some changes in the Police Service and he will be working with the executives to make the needed changes to address the structure of the police service.
He added that there is an advisory council that has been set up by the Prime Minister.
Earlier this week, Prime Minister Mark Brown who is also the Minister for Police reaffirmed government's commitment to provide resources for the Police Service and this includes fairer pay.
Brown had said the government is committed to resourcing the police service more effectively, to ensuring fairer pay and career development pathways and this includes modernising recruitment to attract and retain capable community-minded officers.
He said reforms were underway under Commissioner Joseph's leadership and they will not only benefit police but also the community.
-This article was first published by Cook Islands News.
