Elite Officers Make the Day for Elderly

Fiji Times

Fiji

July 20, 2006

Home resident Siteri Yabaki, 77, is taken around by Josivini Soqo as fellow members of the Police Tactical Response unit look on during a clean up campaign at the home

Members of an elite police unit have shown they can help people in the most unlikely way.

Twenty officers from the Police Tactical Response Unit took the initiative to clean the Old People's Home, in Samabula, Suva yesterday.

The men and women had such fun doing their good deed, they plan to turn the initiative into a regular event.

Unit deputy director Superintendent Naivilawasa Salacieli said the exercise gave the officers a good opportunity to build closer relationships with members of the community.

"We would like to go out to other needy organisations and do the same for them," SP Naivilawasa said. 

"We have been taking part in these cleaning activities mostly for the hospitals and health centres and we enjoy doing this. 

"It is good to come out of that box (office) and this was another way of forming a good image of the police force. 

"This is our way of confronting people and forming better relationships with them," he said.

Staff nurse in charge of the 45 elderly people at the home, Luisa Finau said the cleaning event had a positive impact on the residents.

"It is something good for the old people and it makes them happy. It makes them feel the police are there for them and they feel more secure," Ms Finau said.

But, she said, the home was looking for any further help and support people could give it.

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