POLICE chief Matthew Varley has acknowledged work of his officers, community at Koa Hill and Member of Parliament for Central Honiara in sorting out the incident that occurred at the settlement last Friday.
Mr Varley made the acknowledgements at his weekly conference on Thursday at the Rove Police headquarters.
“Special thanks to the provincial Police Commander (PPC) Honiara City, Chief Superintendent Alfred Uiga and his team of officers at Honiara Central and Central Response Unit along with our officers from the Police Response Team and the Crime Prevention Team,” Mr Varley said.
He added all of them have played a very significant role not only in the kwaso operation but in the days since the incident negotiating with the community and continue to follow up on the case.
“They have done a great job.
“It is important we recognise their work.”
The police chief also thanked community leaders at Koa Hill who recognised that this situation should never have occurred.
“And they are going to work very hard with us to educate their community members and young people to work with police and not against them.
Mr Varley said he is also grateful for the initiative taken by the community leaders at Koa Hill that resulted in a reconciliation ceremony between the community and two injured police officers.
He said police worked very hard with the community over the last few days since the incident over the weekend.
“Our community policing team and crime prevention officers worked very hard to liaise with community leaders and church groups on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday this week.
“We worked very hard with the community leaders to resolve some of the tense and issues that took place last Friday evening.
“The reconciliation ceremony was the traditional way forward so that police and community could then work together to solve the rest of the incident.
“It is very important to recognise and understand that traditional customary way of approaching this does not put aside or does not remove the normal practice of police investigation and the law of course must take its cause.
“Pleased to say the community and leaders of Koa Hill community respect that and understand it but the traditional ceremony was a way to rebuild the trust between the community and police.
He also extended special thanks to the Member of Central Honiara Moffat Fugui.
He said Mr Fugui was instrumental in organising some community meetings over the weekend and took some leadership and helping bring police and community leaders together in this process.
Mr Varley added in all that have happened, it pointed out throwing of rocks at police obviously is very dangerous and hostile act.
“Our officers were at serious risks of very serious injury.”
By ASSUMPTA BUCHANAN