Private Column by Frank Short, CBE

Who is Frank Short, CBE? | See all Entries of Frank Short, CBE

Frank Short is a British born Australian citizen.

He served as the Commissioner of Police in the Solomon Islands from 1997 to 1999.

As a young national service officer he was a member of the Corps of Royal Military Police in Hong Kong from 1959 to 1962 when he commanded an Anti-Vice Section, receiving commendations from the Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong and the Commissioner of the Royal Hong Kong Police.

His later civil police career was spent in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia), Swaziland, Hong Kong, New Hebrides (now Vanuatu), St Helena and Ascension Island and Bophuthatswana.

He was twice awarded 'Batons of Honour' during his early police career, the first when serving in the Northern Rhodesia Police (NRP) and the second as a member of the Royal Hong Kong Police (RHKP).

His appointments have included Head of the Training Wing of the Swaziland Police College,Public Prosecutor in Swaziland, Officer Commanding the Northern Police Division of the New Hebrides Constabulary, Santo, Chief of Police on the Island of St Helena, Registrar of the Supreme Court, St Helena, and Detective Inspector in the Special Branch of the Royal Hong Kong Police.

In Bophuthatswana, as a contracted British Adviser, he lectured on human rights and successfully commanded a Civil Claims department and a Complaints Against the Police office.

In 1995 he was appointed Senior Legal Administrative Officer to the Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for Safety and Security in the provincial government of the North West Province of South Africa.

In his role as Senior Legal Administrative Officer he continued his work as a human rights adviser and lecturer, working in close cooperation with staff from the Raoul Wallenburg University in Sweden and the University of Essex in the UK. He was also involved in the pre-planning work for the establishment of a South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

In 1998 he was invited by the United States Army to address a Pacific Armies Management Seminar (PAMS) in Manila, Philippines, on the role of "Leadership." This was the first occasion a police commissioner had been invited to address a gathering of senior international military officers from some 40 countries.

Since retiring as Commissioner of Police in July 1999, he has maintained a close relationship with the Solomon Islands and been a strong advocate of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

He believes passionately in restorative justice and reconciliation for all the people of the Solomon Islands.

In recent years he has done voluntary teaching work in Thailand, including aiding socially disadvantaged young people.

He was appointed CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours, 1999.

Policing a Clash of Cultures Part 17: The Traffic Chaos

Excerpt from my memoirs.

Having succeeded in bringing about better working conditions for the police at Rove, I decided that something had to be done to address the traffic chaos on the main road through Honiara.

Traffic in and out of the central business areas was so regularly congested that vehicles, including public transport buses, were reduced to a snail’s pace causing delays, lost production and public irritation. The fact that the one main road was poorly maintained and the feeder roads in very bad condition only added to the daily traffic jam.

I realized that whatever may be done to alleviate and improve traffic flow through this area, the measures could only be seen as temporary solutions because unless the roads were upgraded and the importation of second hand motor vehicles halted, or suspended, then no amount of traffic directions would solve the real problem.

However, I felt that action was better than a lot of static thinking and planning.

An operational plan was drawn up with the traffic superintendent who then posted policemen from both the traffic branch and the Honiara Central Police Station and Naha, to key junctions and intersections where they carried out traffic control duties directing vehicles, at the busiest times of the day.

The PWD was encouraged to remove the hideous roundabout at the junction of Ashley Street and that, once out of the way, opened up a better flow of traffic from east to west.

The PWD also began to repair the road surfaces filling in pot holes and grading several of the feeder roads.

We now had focus. There was action. There was seen movement.

Dipping into my own pocket once again, I had white traffic sleeves and white cap covers made locally and issued these to the officers assigned to traffic control duties.

One was much impressed by the work of the policemen undertaking the traffic tasks, especially as they were required to work in hot, dusty conditions. During inclement weather they also got wet but carried on regardless.

A local chemist donated face masks for the officers to wear and a departing engineering contractor donated standard, yellow, police uniform jackets.

The support for the welfare and operational needs of the police was very much appreciated and there was also general public acclaim now, about what was being done to help ease the traffic congestion.

A clamp down on old and defective vehicles followed, as part of the overall traffic enforcement policy: something hitherto not experienced in Honiara. Many vehicles were removed from operating on the roads until fitted with new tyres, working lights, new exhaust systems and effective brakes.

Unlicensed drivers and those operating their vehicles without third party insurance were targeted and many prosecuted.

Unfortunately, I had less measure of success in having the importation of second hand motor vehicles stopped, due to assorted reasons beyond my control.

But we were seen to be getting some key things done and the public could see the improvement.

To be continued…..

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of Frank Short, CBE and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Solomon Times Online.