“Joining the RSIPF is a dream come true” – RCT Ruth

Twenty-year-old Ruth Hellen Fendalyn who hails from Toghasalo Village in Isabel Province is one of the 30 female recruits into the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) out of the 70 participants in the first group of recruits for this year at the Police Academy at the Rove Police Headquarters in Honiara.

Joining the RSIPF is “a dream come true” for this young lass.

“Joining the RSIPF is a dream come true as I am the first person from my village to be part of the Force. I want to serve my people, my community and the country as a whole. I did not hesitate to apply when I saw the police recruitment advertised. I am very fortunate to have been selected out of the several hundred applicants,” says Police Recruit (RCT) Ruth with that Isabel smile on her face.

“With only a few weeks into the recruit training course, I have learnt so much about the duties and responsibilities of a police officer. Discipline is at the forefront of the characters that will mould me into a professional and ethical officer.

RCT Ruth says, “Members of the public must try to understand the duties and responsibilities of an officer. It basically amounts to sacrificing your life for the country 24/7.”

“We blame the police for everything that could go wrong in our communities. Yes, the police is there to ensure the public safe and there is no crime. But we should also know that the police cannot do this alone. Police cannot be in the 5,000 or so villages in Solomon Islands every day. People live in those 5,000 villages. It is therefore our responsibility to assist the police to prevent crime from our communities. It’s every one’s business.”

RCT Ruth recalls, “In my village, we always try to solve crime at the community level. It’s the role of our chiefs and elders. This reduces crime in the communities because chiefs and elders live among the people and will witness first hand whatever crime is committed in the village. So you cannot hide from the eyes of our community leaders.”

“My dream to become a police officer will be achieved not when I graduate but when I am able to go back to my village in my sky blue uniform and educate people of my age and others of the role of a police officer and how we in the community can assist police prevent crime. That is my end dream.”

“I invite all young women to join me and become an officer of the RSIPF not only as a job but with the passion to help everyone, not only the police to prevent crime from our beautiful shores. So when I stand at attention in my sky blue uniform to salute the blue, green and yellow colours, I will be the proudest citizen of this nation, the Happy Isles,” says RCT Ruth with a determination on her face to make her dream come true.

“I know there will be challenges during this training but I will give it all I have as my dream is on the line.”

The fifth child in a family of seven, RCT Ruth completed her Form Six at the Mbua Valley Community High School in Honiara in 2019. She plays basketball.