During the current deployment of the Pacific Police Support Group (PPSG) to Palau to support the 2025 Pacific Mini Games, PPSG officers worked closely with the Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) and made use of its radio infrastructure. To support ongoing operations and enhance existing infrastructure, the batteries and high-tech multi-battery charging units brought by the PPSG for its operations will be gifted to the BPS on behalf of the Australian Federal Police (AFP).
On 8 July, the Australian Ambassador to Palau, HE Toby Sharpe, PPSG Chief Sergeant Bevan Gore and Detective Inspector Adrian Morton from the AFP were pleased to gift 29 radio batteries and two charging banks at a formal handover at the Emergency Operations Centre. President of the Republic of Palau, HE Surangel S Whipps Jr, Minister of Justice, the Hon Jennifer Olegeriil, and the Director of the BPS, Mr Curtis Elobt, accepted the equipment on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Palau.
Acting Superintendent of the AFP’s Port Moresby post Jason Ford highlighted the importance of this gifting.
“Currently, the BPS are not able to utilise their existing radios to their full effect. With this new equipment the BPS will have greater and more effective radio range that will add to officer safety and operational coordination,” he said. “The hi-tech radio charging banks provide added capability to the BPS, being able to not only charge batteries but also able to recondition some of the BPS’s existing batteries, and provide a longer battery life overall.”
Ambassador Sharpe indicated today’s gifting was a great demonstration of Australia sharing resources to meet our region’s collective security means – now and into the future.
“Australia is proud to be able to gift this equipment to further enhance BPS capability. With the PPSG in Palau now, we have an opportunity to support BPS officers remain connected via their radios. This is incredibly important for any policing capability and directly contributes to their own personal safety, the safety of colleagues and the general public.”
The PPSG is an important pillar of the Pacific-led, Australian backed Pacific Policing Initiative that remains committed to supporting law enforcement and security needs across the Pacific region. It comprises of a pool of trained Pacific police who can deploy in response to Pacific country planned and unplanned security needs. This has included the Palau 2025 Pacific Mini-Games currently underway in Koror.