Recommendations have been made for the Fiji Police Force to have qualified statisticians.
In his contribution in parliament on the review report of the Fiji Police Force annual report August 2016-July 2017, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Inia Seruiratu said statisticians handled data best.
He said although the Fiji Police Force was a specialised unit in the work it undertakes, data was best handled by statisticians.
He reasoned statisticians understood the terminology and methodology, etcetera.
“So, of course, we agree and the Fiji Police Force is continuing with the inclusion of new technologies, new equipment top help the policing work and this is something that I have noted during my visits and I have been conveying to the senior management of the Fiji Police Force,” Mr Seruiratu said.
“We need to use more technologies so that we can relieve most of the policemen and women so that they can be engaged in other policing roles, if we make more and good use of technologies that are available.
“The Fiji Police Force in some cases are still used to the old method of doing work and in some instances, it is just a matter of improving the processes within and the systems that will make significant improvement.
“This apart from the technology and the need for qualified statisticians will help in the collation, interpretation and the dissemination of the appropriate data.”
Earlier in the parliament proceedings, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defence chairperson Alex O’Connor had highlighted the committee’s review report noting the disparity in data collection by Police and what was happening on the ground.
He said the committee recommended that relevant training be conducted and the provision of an appropriate technology to assist the Police in improving the efficiency of its data collection, collation and dissemination.
