The AFP has provided Niue Police Department’s Transnational Crime Unit (TCU) with a new vehicle to help officers in their efforts to combat transnational crime in the Pacific.
This will enable officers to cover the 269 square kilometres of the small South Pacific island nation, which is home to approximately 1500 people.
The vehicle was provided by the Pacific Transnational Crime Network (PTCN) and funded through the AFP. As an official Niue Police vehicle, it is fitted with a radio system that connects to the wider police network, as well as other Niue emergency departments. New Zealand Customs recently worked with Niue Police to install the system to ensure emergency services have broad coverage across the country.
Australia’s High Commissioner to Niue, Louise Ellerton officially presented the vehicle to the Member Assisting the Minister for Police, the Honourable Sina Hekau.
AFP Detective Superintendent Doug Witschi said the AFP was committed to continuing to boost the force’s capability.
“The AFP is proud to have played a role in ensuring Niue police officers have the flexibility to get out to the community to keep them safe,” Detective Superintendent Witschi said.
“It was a great team effort by Australia and New Zealand to make this happen.”
Niue Police Chief Tim Wilson said the vehicle was a very welcome addition to the police department’s fleet.
“I want to thank the AFP and Australian Government for providing our members in the TCU with this vehicle, which will make a big difference in their ability to carry out their duties,” Chief Wilson said.
“Vehicles are one of the key pieces of equipment needed by police to ensure we can respond to the public’s call for help in emergencies.”
Established in 2002, the PTCN is a Pacific-led initiative that provides proactive criminal intelligence and investigative capability to combat Transnational Serious and Organised Crime (TSOC) in the Pacific. The PTCN is overseen and guided by the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and is supported by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), New Zealand Police and the United States Joint Interagency Task Force West.
The PTCN has 28 Transnational Crime Units (TCU), located in 20 of the PICP member countries. The objectives of these TCUs are to enhance transnational crime information sharing across the region and deliver investigative support. The AFP supports the PTCN through the deployment of AFP advisors in the Pacific as well as assistance to the TCUs in relation to critical equipment.
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