“Sharing the Knowledge” - Pacific Prevention of Domestic Violence ...

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Regional Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Fakalofa lahi atu, Nisa bula vinaka, Num estae, Kia orana, Kia ora tātou and warm Pacific greetings. The PPDVP is a unique programme in the sense that what is being advocated is a whole of ‘Pacific Policing’ approach to responding to domestic violence, and having consistent processes and procedures as well as a common view towards domestic violence being a crime and not a private matter and while each Pacific Policing organisation will have reached different levels of response the fact that we have all reached a level of agreement that has led to the signing of a Declaration between Pacific Police Chiefs against domestic violence, is a major step forward. The programme has been privileged to meet and work with many officers from other Pacific Police Services, local and Regional NGO’s, and community organisations. It has shared laughter and understood the tears shed by some very committed and passionate people, including police officers who have been moved by a personal experience or recognised anothers personal journey, heard stories told by children and wondered about their future, marvelled at the triumph of others in trying circumstances, and in their own success stories. These experiences have both inspired and motivated the programme to move further ahead to move this very important issue forward. The challenge continues as the programme is nearing its third year of deployments. While many well-established non-government agencies and community organisations in the Pacific Region have been tackling this issue for some time, Police agencies around the world including the Pacific region, are steadily continuing to build their own capacity and are making good inroads into responding more effectively to reported incidences of domestic violence. We are now seeing the benefits of a developed process of gathering information on domestic violence both within and outside of police organisations. In particular CMIS is being used to better inform police managers, more arrests are being made, repeat offending identified and a zero tolerance by officers towards domestic violence offending. While these are things that are developed and being developed, we are seeing attitudes changing, albeit slowly and as Cam (Programme Manager) keeps saying: “It won’t happen overnight, but it will happen”. The Regional programmes continue to move forward and we warmly welcome Vanuatu in joining the programme as the fifth participating country and at the same time, new mentor Alan McGlade from the Hamilton policing region in New Zealand who is assigned to Vanuatu. Commissioner Patu Lui is a strong advocator for the programme and we are thankful for his continued support as has Mr Jeff Langley (NZ High Commissioner) to Vanuatu. The second ‘Train the Trainers’ (Investigative) Domestic Violence curriculum was delivered in Tonga in June this year and is being consolidated in participating and Link countries. The CMIS database is getting a good airing, and forms an integral tool for advising local police services of the impact of DV. The Pacific Island Law Officers Network (PILON) workshop took place this year and brought together over 40 lawyers from across the Pacific to be trained in litigation and advocacy skills under the guiding hand of Robert Lithgow (Chair) and up to 20 Faculty members from around the Pacific as trainers. Inspector Soni Malaulau For the first time in its 14 year history of training pacific lawyers PILLON has included six Police prosecutors in the litigation skills training, The course also now has a domestic violence component with a domestic violence scenario added as one of the ‘fact patterns’. Participants will be trained in a mock courtroom scenario practising opening and closing remarks, cross examination, examination in chief and examination of expert evidence relating to a domestic violence prosecution. We are also now looking at providing assistance to Pacific Nations in the Micronesian areas as a result of request from them at the last Pacific Island Chiefs of Police meeting in Samoa. On the local front in NZ, we have seen a PNG Investigator complete a two-week study tour in Waitakere, Auckland and we currently have seven Pacific Police officers working in the Counties Manukau area, South Auckland, in full uniform on a two-week study tour. They will meet local NGO’s and accompany NZ Police officers on up to three nights of patrol work, observing them attend incidences, including responding to domestic violence cases. This has already had a marked effect on Pacific Police with feedback on the high standard of professionalism shown by NZ Police officers. On an even more local front for me personally, I ready myself to join the Afghanistan contingent to assist New Zealand Police’s efforts in that region. I commence training in January/February and will deploy later in the year returning towards the end of the 2009. No! the PPDVP programme is not going global although on that front we have had many request for this programme to be developed not only in Afghanistan but in other areas outside the Pacific. While the temptation is there the reality is more sobering so as we advocated right from the beginning, small steps, small steps. In 2009, the programme will look at intensifying its programmes of consolidating the training within police services, ensuring that capacity to respond is increased and exploring ways to create and sustain awareness of DV. “Yes we are focused on outcomes but even more so, on the impact that we are having at the local level both within Police services and on the community as a whole” Inspector Soni Malaulau Regional Coordinator, PPDVP 4
PNG Study Tour – Auckland NZ, September 2008 Papua New Guinea Officer Warmly Welcomed In August/September 2008, Detective Sergeant Tinol Pakiapon from the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary (RPNGC), travelled to New Zealand for a two-week study tour. D/Sgt Pakiapon’s visit stemmed from a March 2008 visit to Papua New Guinea by the PPDVP Programme Manager, Cam Ronald. D/Sgt Pakiapon, the officer in charge of a sexual offences and domestic violence unit in the RPNGC, has been part of the six-person investigative unit in Boroko, Port Moresby for 14 years. His visit was funded through the PPDVP’s Technical Assistance Fund. D/Sgt Pakiapon’s New Zealand study tour enabled him to spend time with NZ Police Domestic Violence Unit, Sexual and Child Sexual Offence investigators, as well as being introduced to the wide range of women’s rights and victim support groups within the Waitematā Police District. He was warmly welcomed by all. S/Sgt Marty Edghill, on temporary assignment to the PPDVP, and S/Sgt Dave Ryan, a PPDVP mentor based in Waitematā, managed the twoweek study tour, including a wide range of activities in the Waitematā Police District, and excursions further a field to make the most of the opportunity to meet key stakeholders. Two of the highlights for D/Sgt Pakiapon were his attendance at a ‘White Ribbon’ planning meeting and a day trip to Hamilton with the new mentor to Vanuatu, Sergeant Alan McGlade, for an overview of domestic violence procedures in that Policing District. Since returning to PNG, D/Sgt Pakiapon has submitted a full report on the study tour to his Commissioner of Police and the PPDVP. He returned to Papua New Guinea leaving all with the clear message that the secondment had been very much a learning experience, enhancing his knowledge of the value of a professional and respectful approach to both work and the community, and at the same time increasing his knowledge and understanding of the New Zealand approach to gender-based violence. In his own words, D/Sgt Pakiapon described various aspects of the Study Tour as follows: “One thing that hooked me was to see all these NZ Police woman and men in their full uniforms especially for night shifts. Everyone is there on time for work, on patrol on the roads, quick response to calls, especially by front line police, and sober attitudes when reporting for duty” “During this trip I had to pause and reflect on the very important role I play back at home as a policeman accountable to the Police and to the members of the public I swore to serve” “If I can respect myself, I will have no problems at all respecting other people and their properties. This is what I learnt and it is very valuable to me. I will be passing these values on to the men and woman under me”. “This has re-enforced the need to identify police personnel for domestic violence training through the PPDVP, and for personnel to undergo specialist training in NZ or bring experts in to train staff. This programme should be an on-going thing for more RPNGC members’ participation”. Detective Sergeant Pakiapon was extremely appreciative of the way he was received by all staff. The study tour was his first experience outside Papua New Guinea and a truly meaningful activity for him. The study tour is a continuation of the excellent relationships developed between the PPDVP and the RPNGC. Inspector Soni Malaulau Regional Co-ordinator D/Sgt Pakiapon with Senior Constable Glen Compain of Auckland Police. PPDVP and PILON Litigation Skills Programme 2008 In December 2008, the Pacific Island Law Officers Network (PILON) Litigation Skills Programme will be delivered at the University of South Pacific, Emalus Campus in Port Vila. This is the 7th programme funded by NZAID and brings together 40 Pacific government legal personnel with Judges, Queen’s Counsel and senior members of the legal fraternity of New Zealand and the Pacific region as the teaching faculty. The programme is designed to provide continuous learning and to improve the practical court advocacy and litigations skills of the participants. PPDVP and the New Zealand Crown Law Office are excited about the cooperative approach, sharing of knowledge and “leveraging” between the two parties. “For the first time, six senior Police Prosecutors from the various PPDVP participating countries will be attending and receiving the benefit of this litigation skills programme,” says Donna Llewell. As well, PPDVP and the Crown Law Office have worked together in recent months on the development of a domestic violence scenario in a Pacific context to add a new dimension to the programme case file and materials. PPDVP personnel will also present a general awareness and interactive session about the challenges of domestic violence in the Pacific region. 5
Page 1 and 2: ISSN 1178-1963 News DECEMBER 2008
Page 3: Farewell to old friends and Welcome
Page 7 and 8: Participating Countries Tonga The D
Page 9 and 10: Participating Countries Cook Island
Page 11 and 12: We had a wonderful feast and we all

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