Tuvalu has no army, but its national police force, the Tuvalu Police Force headquartered in Funafuti includes a Maritime Surveillance Unit, Customs, Prisons and Immigration. Police officers wear British style uniforms.
The police have a Pacific class patrol boat (Te Mataili) provided by Australia under the Pacific Patrol Boat Program for use in maritime surveillance and fishery patrol.
According to the Constitution of Tuvalu,
| “ | 157. The Police Force
(1) An office of Chief of Police is established as an office in the Tuvalu Police. (2) The Chief of Police shall be appointed in accordance with section 159(5)(a) (which relates to the appointment of the Chief of Police). (3) Excluding the Chief of Police, members of the Tuvalu Police of or above the rank of Inspector (or the equivalent rank as defined by or under an Act of Parliament) may be appointed, removed and disciplined in the same manner, with any necessary modifications, as members of the Public Service under section 155 (the Public Service). (4) Other members of the Tuvalu Police may be appointed, removed and disciplined by the Chief of Police, subject to appeal to the Public Service Commission in the case of removal or disciplinary action. |
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Tuvalu has provided police officers to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands since December 2004.
Tuvaluan Police officer Fanini Maleko is contingent commander of the Tuvaluan police serving as part of RAMSI's Participating Police Force (PPF).
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