The RAMSI Legacy for Policing in the Pacific Region

Abstract

For the past 14 years, approximately one-fifth of the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands (RAMSI) Participating Police Force (PPF) has comprised police from 13 Pacific Island countries, referred to as the Pacific Islands contingent. As RAMSI was drawing to a close, it was timely to assess the impact of their involvement on police and policing in the region. Supported by the Australian Federal Police (AFP), the research project was undertaken in 2017 by a team from the Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs.

This report draws from more than 100 interviews with key stakeholders and former Pacific Islands contingent members, and a short written survey of 37 former Pacific Islands contingent members. The focus was on the views and experiences of Pacific Islands contingent members concerning the impact of their deployment on them individually, their home police organisations and policing in the region.

Funded by the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and supported by the Pacific Islands Forum and the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police (PICP), the research project commenced at the end of 2016. With RAMSI ending in mid-2017 it was seen as a good time to review its effect and impact on the individual members of the Pacific Islands contingent police, their home police organisations, and, broadly, on regional policing. The research had two main goals. Firstly, to capture and describe the experiences and views of Pacific Islands contingent members and, secondly, to provide a more strategic and analytical assessment of the lessons learnt from this multi-country police-led mission.