Pacific police chiefs have endorsed the constitution of the Pacific Community of Policing (PACPOL), establishing a new framework for regional policing cooperation.
The endorsement brings the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP) and the Pacific Policing Initiative under one umbrella, aimed at strengthening leadership, coordination, policing capabilities and cooperation across the region.
PACPOL marks the next phase of more than 56 years of regional policing collaboration, with the focus now shifting to implementation and the establishment of its structures and operational foundations.
Commissioner David Manning of the Royal Papua New Guinea Constabulary was elected inaugural PACPOL Chair, while Commissioner Matatia Makaili of the Tuvalu Police Service was elected Deputy Chair.
The organisation also acknowledged outgoing PICP Chair Commissioner Anthony Macaranas and Deputy Chair Commissioner Kalshem Bongran for their leadership over the past year.
The transition to PACPOL will include changes to the organisation’s social media platforms, which will move from the PICP identity to the new regional policing body over the coming days.
The establishment of PACPOL is intended to provide a unified platform for Pacific police services to strengthen regional coordination and address shared policing challenges.
