Image: Vanuatu Daily Post Building institutional capacity is an ongoing priority to ensure the force is adequately resourced to meet community expectations and relevant performance targets. Raid of marijuana plants by the Police Drug Unit. The Vanuatu Police Force (VPF) is mandated by the Police Act Cap of marijuana the 105.Raid Its core functionsplants are toby preserve Police Drug Unit. The Vanuatu peace and the maintenance of order; Police Force (VPF) is mandated protect life and property; enforce the by the Police Act Cap 105. Its core laws; prevent and detect offences and functions are to preserve peace and bring offenders before the courts; and the maintenance of order; protect others as prescribed law. It lifeduties and property; enforceby the laws; currently numbers......personnel. prevent and detect offences and bring offenders before the courts; and others duties as prescribed by law. It currently numbers 400 personnel. Headed by the Commissioner of Police, the VPF comprises three arms - the Police (general duties regular police officers); the Vanuatu Mobile Force (VMF); and the Police Maritime Force (PMF). The difficulty of policing distant, isolated island populations has been a perennial challenge for the VPF. In rural areas there is the need for a balanced strategy which draws on the strength of the traditional system while providing the direct police support that is required. 24 Part 2. Building a happy and secure future The VPF Strategic Plan 2016-2020 and other government documents and forums have identified a range of problems which the VPF has faced over a number of years. These include limited human resources, lack of community trust, poor governance, low levels of discipline, lack of strong leadership from the executive and middle ranks, fractured relationships within the Senior Executive, lack of strategic direction, financial and management and Human Resources shortcomings, weak intelligence capacity, underrepresentation of women in the force, and political interference. The poor state of equipment, particularly vehicles, has been identified as another shortcoming. Another challenge for the VPF is to equip itself to combat non-traditional and increasingly sophisticated crimes, such as cybercrime, money laundering and other financial crimes. A further issue is the VPF structure, for which there has never been an adequate rationale over the years, and is a cause of continuing concern and debate. One school of thought favours the separation of the VMF and PMV from the VPF, to create a separate national defence force. Others believe there is no compelling case for such a force, and that it would be too costly. There would be value in conducting a review of the pros and cons of separation, to inform future decisionmaking.