By Losirene Lacanivalu, Cook Islands News
Cook Islands Police have been facing staffing shortages due to budget cuts and uncompetitive remuneration, prompting a restructuring effort to improve recruitment and retention. Photo: Cook Islands News
Cook Islands Police data shows no increasing crime trend, but the Opposition leader and a road safety advocate argue understaffing and passive policing conceal actual crime and safety issues in Rarotonga.
Data released by police this week shows 300 incidents were reported to Rarotonga Police during January and February this year, compared with 258 over the same period in 2024 and 286 in 2023.
Police media and strategic advisor Trevor Pitt said that these figures include call outs and matters "where no offence has been committed".
Of the 300 reported incidents in the first two months of this year, 18 arrests were made, a marked drop compared to 42 in 2024 and 28 in 2023.
The number of charges laid by police prosecution before the court also declined in January and February 2025, with 46 charges compared to 86 in 2024 and 82 in early 2023.
According to Pitt, the police data over the first two months of this year is not reflecting any "discernible upward trends".
The analysis of serious crimes was not included in this overview.
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Police figures on reported motor vehicle crashes, burglaries, domestic violence, theft and the unlawful taking of motorbikes, "are not showing any increases that would be considered extraordinary", Pitt said.
Road crash figures for January and February, as reported by police, show 29 crashes during that period this year, 28 in 2024, 42 in 2023 and 26 in 2022.
Opposition leader Tina Browne says while on the surface the police statistics may look like "business as usual", the reality paints a very different picture - "one that exposes deep cracks in government policy and a worrying lack of leadership when it comes to public safety".
"Let's be honest - the drop in arrests and court charges isn't necessarily a sign that things are getting better. It's a sign that our police are stretched beyond their limits," said Browne, the leader of the Democratic Party.
"When frontline officers are under-resourced and understaffed, they simply can't respond to every incident or follow through with investigations. Fewer arrests could very well reflect fewer officers on the beat, not less crime.
"This is what happens when a government neglects the basics: strong staffing, proper resourcing, and decisive leadership. The statistics don't tell a success story - they tell a story of a police force under pressure, and a government that's asleep at the wheel."
Cook Islands Road Safety president Brent Fisher says the stats can say crime has dropped "in reality it has not".
Fisher says the fact remains that there is still a lack of police presence on the road
"The stats do not mean there are no drunk drivers, the reality is police are not out there … there are some who are drunk driving and do not crash and some do."
According to Fisher, while a police officer shortage has been highlighted, he does not believe 40 officers are needed on the road.
Cook Islands Police have been facing staffing shortages due to budget cuts and uncompetitive remuneration, prompting a restructuring effort to improve recruitment and retention.
Pitt acknowledged personnel constraints mean that reduced staff numbers are under pressure in having to deal with a consistently high level of reported incidents.
In the $68 million supplementary budget passed in Parliament last month, police were allocated $245,000, of which $145,000 will be used to re-establish community policing and $100,000 to strengthen the Police Advisory Committee.
This allocation was criticised by Opposition MPs in Parliament during supplementary budget debate, with Cook Islands United Party MP Robert Heather calling it "not really enough".
Opposition leader Browne said the police staffing shortage is now "critical".
"Officers are doing their best, but morale can only hold for so long without support."
She also questioned government's strategy in dealing with the staffing and police related issues including road crashes.
"Where are the consistent checkpoints, the high-visibility policing, and the public awareness campaigns? Instead of investing in preventative measures, we're seeing reactive, patchy responses - a clear result of poor planning and underfunding," Browne said.
"Yes, we need more checkpoints, but again, who's left to man them? The government has failed to address the staffing crisis within the police, and now we're seeing the consequences.
"Community safety isn't a part-time job - it requires commitment, investment, and political will. Unfortunately, this government is lacking all three."
Browne also questioned the delay in appointing a new Commissioner of Police after Turepu James Keenan's three-year term ended in May 2024.
"The ongoing delay in appointing a permanent Police Commissioner only adds to the instability. Why the holdup? Is it political interference, or just another case of government indecision? Either way, the public deserves answers - and leadership," she stated.
-This article was first published by Cook Islands News.
