6 Police Officers undergoing training to be drug analysts with New Zealand Institute of Environment Scientific and Research

The Fiji Police Force is expected to increase its number of Chemistry Drugs Analysts to boost the capabilities of the Fiji Police Forensics Department as 6 of their officers are currently being trained by senior scientists from the New Zealand Institute of Environment Scientific and Research.

The training is underway at the Fiji Police Chemistry Laboratory at Nasova.

The facilitators of this course are ESR trainers, namely Cameron Johnson (Science Leader, Forensic Drug Chemistry), Laura Fabian (Senior Scientist, Forensic Drug Chemistry) and Anna Petricevich (Forensic Quality Manager.

The six new drug analysts had undergone training on some of the course models online due to COVID Restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

At the end of this week, the new analysts will become fully accredited and certified cannabis identifiers.

The visiting NZ officials met with the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Itendra Nair, where he conveyed the Commissioner of Police Brigadier General Sitiveni Qiliho's appreciation for enhancing the organization's capabilities in fighting the war on drugs.