In today’s Solomon Star newspaper there is a story of a crime report under investigation and the article is accompanied by a Chief Superintendent in the RSIPF leading the case.
The police chief is seen in the photograph wearing a blue token which displays his name and the Force badge in gold.
I am pleased to know RSIPF members, at least senior members, display their names on their uniform shirts.
In 1997 I went to Singapore and sourced a company prepared to make name tokens and bought a good number of samples, including one made for myself, and the others I gave to the members of the senior executive on my return to the Solomon Islands.
I wanted to order more for issue to all senior ranks in the (then) RSIP) but no money could be allocated in the police budget due to the SIAC government taking up office facing massive debts.
So the only name tokens at the time were the ones I bought myself.
Now the same token, both in colour and design, is in general use in the RSIPF and I’m pleased to know after 24 years the idea took off.
In something of a similar idea, I contracted with a Sydney based police equipment supplier in 1998 to supply police badges in gold colour that I awarded to all those RSIP members I had the pleasure of awarding commendations for outstanding work in the course of their duties. The badge was given in addition to giving out a Commendation Certificate which could be framed.
Some of the first to be given the commendation badge were the members of the Maintenance Team, led at the time by their Inspector. The team re-built from scratch the derelict White River Police Post with financial donations given by both the British and New Zealand High Commissioners serving in Honiara during that time,
I have seen no pictorial evidence for several years of the police commendation badge being worn by the RSIPF and perhaps the use of the badge has been discontinued.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
