Police gun crackdown in Solomons

By MARY-LOUISE O'CALLAGHAN

HONIARA - Rogue police officers in Solomon Islands were being forced to surrender their illegally held firearms or risk arrest yesterday in the first major crackdown of the Australian-led intervention forces.

The Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Ben McDevitt, who yesterday was sworn in as a deputy police commissioner of the Royal Solomon Islands Police (RSIP) said all police who did not have written permission of the police commissioner to be holding a firearm would be arrested.

McDevitt who took over responsibility for the professional standards and internal investigation unit of the RSIP yesterday said this may be his toughest task of the intervention.

"There are some excellent officers in the force but unfortunately they are let down by others who are drunkards, thieves and extortionists.

"Members or special constables who are found in possession of guns after 10 pm tonight, will be sacked and criminally charged," McDevitt said shortly after his swearing-in.

The crackdown came as the civilian leader of the intervention, Nick Warner confirmed that he is likely to meet leaders of the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) militia. He had received a message from the MEF leader, Jimmy Rasta, and was in the process of sending him a response indicating his willingness to meet with him.

Australia has deployed four more Australian Navy vessels to Solomons Islands with a second Iroquois helicopter from New Zealand also due in this week. Warner said the patrol boats were to help pre-empt the movement of guns within and without the country, especially on the border with Bougainville.