National police force
The Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) is the national police force of Solomon Islands and in January 2015 had an establishment of approximately 1,153 officers and 43 police stations across the country.
Solomon Islands has no military organisation with this provided in the past by the abolished paramilitary wing of the RSIPF known as the Police Field Force (later Special Task and Rescue).[3][4] The Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) withdrew in June 2017 handing full control of policing back to the RSIPF.[5]
Structure
The RSIPF is headed by the Commissioner for Police who report to the Minister of Police, National Security, Correctional Services. Historically, several Commissioners have been expatriates under contract. On 22 December 2006, an Australian Federal Police officer, Shane Castles, then serving as the Commissioner under a contract funded by the Australian government was declared by the Solomon Islands Government to be an "undesirable immigrant" while he was out of the country and was not allowed to return.[18]
The RSIPF structure includes two Deputy Commissioners. The Deputy Commissioner Operations manages the portfolios of 'National Capital and Crime Prevention' and 'Provincial Policing', both of which are supervised by Assistant Commissioners. The Deputy Commissioner National Security and Operations Support managed the portfolios of 'National Operations' and 'Corporate Support', again both of which are supervised by Assistant Commissioners.
The RSIPF Police Media Unit reports directly to the Chief of Staff. The RSIPF website, www.rsipf.gov.sb, was launched on 14 August 2015 and provides a range of information on RSIPF structure and units, as well as official publications including Annual reports.
The RSIPF Professional Standards and Internal Investigations Unit monitors police discipline and performance.
The Solomon Islands Government has approved the staged, limited rearmament of the RSIPF including the Police Response Team (PRT) and the Close Personal Protection (CPP) Unit.[19][20] In May 2017, the RSIPF was rearmed with pistols and shotguns with 125 officers from the PRT and CPP trained to use firearms.[21][22][23] In 2022, Australia donated sixty Daniel Defense MK18 rifles and provided training to PRT officers.[24][25]
Under the Police Act 2013, the RSIPF is also responsible for Fire services and maintains a Fire Service in Honiara and the major provincial capitals.
Ranks
Maritime Department
The RSIPF Maritime Department provides the RSIPF's maritime capability and conducts operational patrols and patrols of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Solomon Islands Borders for fisheries, immigration and national security purposes. RSIPF Maritime operates the one Pacific-class patrol boat, RSIPV Auki (04), and the new Guardian-class patrol boat RSIPV Gizo (05). The Gizo replaced the other Pacific-class patrol boat, RSIPV Lata (03), when it was commissioned on 19 December 2019, and when the second Guardian-class vessel enters service in 2022, the Auki will presumably also be replaced and disposed of.
Australia started delivering Guardian class patrol vessels to replace the Pacific class vessels in 2018.[26] Australia committed to provide two new vessels to replace the RSIPF vessels. The then Police Commissioner Matthew Varley announced, on January 26, 2019, that expansion of the Police Force's mooring space, to accommodate the larger Guardian class vessels, would be undertaken in 2019.[27]
In 2020 and 2021, Australia provided a squadron of several 9.2 metres (30 ft) in-shore patrol craft.[28]
The MD acts as the SI's defacto navy.[29] In June 2023, MD officers were rearmed with Glock pistols.[30] In December 2023, the MD's two Guardian class patrol boats were armed with FN Herstal M2 12.7 mm (0.50 in) machine guns.[31][32][33]
