Over three days this week, the RSIPF Maritime Unit has undertaken law enforcement training at RSIPV AOLA.
This training was delivered by two experienced officers who arrived in Honiara on Monday. They are Chief Petty Officer Steven Philpott from the Royal Australian Navy and Australian Federal Police Agent Nicolle Haigh from the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police. The training is delivered under the bilateral Defence Co-Operation Program between Australia and the Solomon Islands.Chief Petty Officer Philpott and Federal Agent Nicolle Haigh also worked together to provide law enforcement training tailored for the crews of the patrol boats RSIPV AUKI and LATA. Chief Petty Officer Philpott delivered a training in use of force and techniques for boarding vessels at sea. Federal Agent Nicolle Haigh delivers training in information sharing, intelligence and exhibit handling.
Over the three days, eleven members of the Maritime Unit have undertaken the training as well as several members of the Transnational Crime Unit (TCU) based in Honiara including a Customs Officer attached to the TCU. The members were presented with certificates of course completion at a ceremony at RSIPV AOLA by the Police Commissioner on Thursday afternoon.
Wing Commander Wendy Horder, Australian Defence Adviser, said at the ceremony that the training delivered is of a very high standard and ensures that the crews of the patrol boats can safely conduct searches of vessels at sea.
The inclusion of training by the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police encourages inter agency co-operation and the sharing of information in detecting and combating trans-national crime.
Source: Press Release, Police Media Unit