THE Fiji Police Force has reduced the number of police officers stationed at the Suva South Community Police Post from 17 to eight.
This has not gone down well with residents, who believe the reduction in the number of officers will put the community policing scheme at risk.
"A visible police presence is a good deterrent in the fight against crime in our area," Matt Wilson, a resident at Desvoux Road said.
"We want to see more patrols by the Suva South Police team but the reduction is impossible to provide adequate community policing and patrols on an area like Suva South with just eight officers."
He recalled recent crimes in his street which included muggers attacking three people and a man snatching a laptop off a person walking along Selbourne Street.
Assistant Superintendent of Police Tevita Waqabaca, while speaking at the launch of the Community Watch Scheme of the Suva South Community Police Post on Thursday, said: "We wouldn't have reduced it if we didn't think it wasn't a good idea. It shows that the community watch scheme is working.
"The police and community have been working closely for a long time and the decrease of stationed officers means the community have been stepping up to help us greatly in our hopes for a safer Suva City," ASP Waqabaca said.