Police Commissioner Rusiate Tudravu has acknowledged ongoing public frustration over delays in police response times. He confirmed the shortage of police transport as one of the challenges faced by the force, but insists that the issue should not be used as an excuse for inaction. Responding to public complaints that police stations often cite a lack of available vehicles when responding to calls for assistance, Mr Tudravu admitted the concern is legitimate. “The issue about transport is not new,” Mr Tudravu said. “We cannot provide vehicles to all police stations. The current arrangement is a lease vehicle system, and we are still awaiting 81 vehicles that were part of our baseline allocation from the Government.” Despite the shortfall, Mr Tudravu stressed that police officers should not rely on the lack of vehicles as a reason to avoid responding to reports. “I’ve stated that this is not a suitable excuse. Police officers must find other ways to attend to reports. That’s part of our duty. “There are other government departments that also get transport allocations. But with the current fleet we have, we are managing,” he said. Despite the logistical hurdles, Commissioner Tudravu reiterated his expectations for the force “Police officers should have the history of going to attend their reports and use other means.” The force is now under pressure to explore alternative solutions to address mobility issues, while the public continues to call for more accountability and quicker response times from their local stations. Feedback: sosiveta.korobiau@fijisun.com.fj