“BEING a Police officer let alone a female is quite challenging but everything has challenges,” says Police Constable Roberta Ora, one of only two female officers who serve in the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) Fire and Rescue Service, as firefighters.
34-year-old Police constable Roberta Ora who comes from Western, Malaita and Temotu provinces was recruited as a Police officer in July 2007 and in the past 10 years was posted to various units within the RSIPF including General duties, National Traffic Unit, Administration duties and National Intelligence unit.
In March this year, Roberta was posted as a fire fighter, “the highlight of my career in the RSIPF so far.”
“I wanted to become a Police Officer because I want to make some changes in life showing people that women can also become great leaders in the country,” says Roberta
“Being a female firefighter has contributed a lot but I’d like to assist any way I can in order to move the organisation forward.”
Roberta is married with one child (11 years old) when she was recruited and along the way she had another two children, seven and four years old.
“Well weighing my career and my commitments is quite a hard thing to do especially when there’s things that need to be done in the family all in all it all comes back to understanding but I thank my family for their support.”
So what motivates Constable Roberta: “The people of this country, her family, and seeing what’s going on in the country today and wanting to do more for the betterment of the country.”
“Policing is not just to arrest people and that you have to be big and strong, no it’s all about going out there showing people that you are there for them. It is how you present yourself to people that determines your career.”
Roberta encourages other women, who are not too sure about a career, to try the RSIPF as it promises to be satisfying as any other career.
–POLICE MEDIA
