Now that we have another case of assault on police officers, attention will no doubt shift to probable causes.
So what is happening? Why are police officers being attacked, and with such frequency?
Recent attacks make this a shocking state of affairs, and will place pressure on the Police Commissioner to try and understand why this is happening.
A Saunaka villager in Nadi is alleged to have assaulted two officers the other day.
The officers were conducting traffic checks at Namotomoto when they were allegedly sworn at by the suspect.
The two officers arrested the suspect.
“While he was being escorted out of the vehicle, he allegedly challenged the two to fight and assaulted the officers,” said police spokeswoman Ana Naisoro.
Both the officers needed medical checkups.
The suspect was taken into custody at the Nadi Police Station.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Rusiate Tudravu had just issued a warning a few days ago, that attacks and threats against his officers would not be taken lightly.
He initially sounded the warning after four people were taken into custody in two separate cases last month.
The warning was issued again after three people were arrested at the weekend allegedly attacking police officers on duty.
A man entered the Cunningham Community Post and attacked the police constable on duty with an axe. He was arrested and the officer was unharmed.
In a separate incident, a 52-year-old taxidriver from Oloolo in Sigatoka was taken into custody for allegedly threatening a police officer who was conducting booking for illegal parking in Sigatoka.
In the third incident, a 29-year-old man of Vuci Rd outside Nausori was arrested by police after allegedly assaulting an officer during an arrest.
Mr Tudravu said it was fortunate that no officer was seriously injured or killed. We reiterate the point that it is a concern that this is happening in our country.
Mr Tudravu said a number of officers had been attacked from January to September while doing their duty.
Three youths were taken into custody in Nadi last month after they threatened a patrol car team at Namotomoto.
When told to clear the area, the three allegedly threatened the officers, saying they would be killed, similar to how their comrade was killed in Lautoka. A backup team was called in and the three were arrested.
In another case last month, a police officer was assaulted outside the Grantham Plaza Community Police Post while attending to a report.
There is an urgent need for us all to understand why people are now challenging the authority of the police force.
This isn’t a good reflection of our police force.
Is it also a sign of a fragmented society that has lost respect for the role of the force?
Let us play our part, and respect the law. Perhaps the force needs to understand why this is happening, and maybe re-evaluate its approach to law enforcement if there is a need.
This is an issue that must be seriously looked at, with great urgency.
