Policing in the Pacific Islands

Research on policing in the Pacific Islands draws from multiple disciplines, reflecting the multifaceted nature of policing in local contexts that neither fit a Western model of statehood nor adopt an analytic position from the global North. This chapter sets the scene for a focused, contextualised and interdisciplinary discussion of policing in Pacific Islands countries and territories. It recognises the need to analyse policing both within the broader context of the global dynamics of policing, crime and (in)security, and within the specific, complex, and diverse countries and territories of the region. The chapter outlines the structure of the book and provides an overview of the chapters that follow.

Issues and challenges are not uncommon to policing organisations across the globe. For those in Pacific Islands countries and territories (PICTs), common issues such as functioning in a limited or resource-constrained environment and adapting to continuously increasing stakeholder demands are further compounded by geographic context. The region presents unique policing spaces, which means that policing challenges characterised as normal or conventional must be dealt with alongside unconventional policing issues specific to PICTs with varied governance arrangements, strained resources, diverse cultures and traditions, reliance on external support, spaces that are policed by alternative means, and large and often fragmented jurisdictions. This chapter provides an overview of the challenges faced by police organisations in PICTs and shows that policing in these contexts is as much about improvisation as it is about discretion and professional practice. It establishes a context for later discussions about crime in PICTs; formal and informal policing roles across the region underscored by geography, tradition, culture, and religion; international policing agendas; and contemporary shifts in arguments about women in policing.

An understanding of policing dynamics requires an examination of not only the landscape of criminal activities that police encounter and work in, but also the socio-political processes that produce crime in a given community and context. This chapter provides an overview of crime trends in Pacific Islands countries and territories (PICTs) in the twenty-first century and discusses some key social dynamics producing various crimes. It pays special attention to crimes and violence experienced by young people and women, as well as how neoliberal globalisation has produced new vulnerabilities in PICTs, including expanding organised and transnational crime, such as drug trafficking and cybercrime. The chapter includes suggestions for where there are research and data gaps, and how future research and policy should aim to close these gaps to further inform crime-related policies.

Plural policing has become a key focus in critical policing and security scholarship, with growing acknowledgement that policing practices involve multiple actors and diverse institutional forms. While much of the recent interest in plural policing has been prompted by the global growth of private security, plural policing in the Pacific Islands has long been evident in the co-existence of state-based police organisations operating nationally, and traditional or customary policing forms operating at local levels in most of these countries and territories. This chapter examines the plural character of Pacific policing in the context of historical and more recent processes of pluralisation, including the expanding domains of private and transnational policing, highlighting the deepening entanglement and interdependency between these various policing forms. The geographic focus is on the independent Melanesian countries, the region’s most populous, socially diverse, and challenging policing environments.

International policing is a complex and non-neutral endeavour, which encompasses a diverse range of activities such as peace operations, capacity development, cross-border partnerships to combat transnational crime, and disaster assistance. In the Pacific region, while partnerships have long been part of the development and security landscapes, they entail various expectations and obligations, influenced by the historical relationships between countries and their relative status as aid donors or recipients. This chapter outlines the nature and development of international policing in the Pacific context. It then provides examples of international policing in the region, where many Pacific Islands countries have been involved both as host nations for—and contributors to—these efforts. The chapter highlights the complexities of partnerships in the Pacific region, and the challenges and benefits involved.

Gender equality has increasingly been a focus for governments of Pacific Islands countries (PICs) and the international, regional, and local organisations working with them. As the most visible arm of governance, police organisations have attracted significant attention in terms of the gender agenda due to their role in responding to issues affecting women. This shift can be attributed to increased recognition of gender inequality in PICs and its association with high rates of crimes against women. This chapter discusses the changing place of women in highly gendered policing organisations internationally and in the Pacific. It considers influences on gender in Pacific policing associated with international, regional, and national frameworks, policies, and agendas aimed at improving women’s circumstances. The chapter then explores how regional instability and gender-based violence have shaped female officers’ participation in policing and provides examples of the impacts of their involvement in regional initiatives.

Police organisations of the Pacific reflect the diversity and complexity of the countries and territories of the region, in terms of their size and the legitimacy and technical capabilities of these relatively young states. This short concluding chapter reflects upon the issues faced by Pacific Island policing organisations as discussed in previous chapters. It acknowledges the challenges police face in negotiating with diverse sources of authority and multiple actors in domestic settings and international settings, as well as the increasing vulnerability of Pacific Island countries and territories to transnational crime and insecurity produced through global mobility and communications technology, and the implications of changing gender dynamics on policing across the region. The chapter calls for further research on Pacific policing that adopts indigenous methodologies, community participation, and stakeholder partnerships to inform appropriately nuanced and contextualised policy and action on policing in the Pacific Islands.