14 Sep 2006

Vanuatu police commissioner wants incentives to keep officers in the force

8:03 pm on 14 September 2006

The head of the Vanuatu police says the government must take control of the ailing force to stop officers leaving the service.

Vanuatu's police commissioner, Lieutenant Colonel Patu Navoko Lui, says the force needs direction from the country's leaders over how it should be operating.

Lt Col Lui says the police are seeking urgent government approval of a guiding document for police operations.

"The mechanism in place to run the Vanuatu mobile force is not complete as such. And I feel that it is very important for the Vanuatu police force to have a document on the running of the force that is not in isolation but in line with the government policy of the day."

Lt Col Lui says poor salaries, terms and conditions have meant staff retention has been a major problem.

However he declined to specify what incentives police would be offered to stay.