The Fiji Police Force will increase its number of Chemistry Drugs Analysts to boost the capabilities of Fiji Police Forensics Department.

The Police Force currently has only 1 fully accredited and certified cannabis identifier, however, there are 6 new drug analyst officers undergoing training to join the fold.

The 6 officers are being trained by senior scientists from the New Zealand Institute of Environment Scientific and Research (ESR NZ) at the Fiji Police Chemistry Laboratory at Nasova this week.

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 6 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 their current training at Nasova this week, the 6 analyst will become fully accredited and certified cannabis identifiers.

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