Tonga's new Police Commissioner, Shane McLennan says it's an honour to be the first Australian to hold the office of police commissioner.
He follows three New Zealanders in the role.
When being briefed by members of the Tonga Police Senior Executive on the range of policing services undertaken by Tonga Police, the Commissioner was keen to understand the difficulties faced by officers across Tonga.
Commissioner McLennan was sworn in by the Chief Magistrate Folau Lokotui after arriving in the country on May 11.
RNZ Pacific reports the Commissioner has a broad policing career that spans over 40 years, having commenced with the Queensland Police Service as a police cadet at the tender age of 15.
He served the length and breadth of Queensland for over 26 years before laterally transferring to the Australian Federal Police in 2008.
McLennan also has experience in national and international level investigations, major event planning, search and rescue co-ordination, counter-terrorism, executive development and training, international liaison and diplomacy, project management, and policy development.
He was a designated Detective in both the Queensland Police Service and the Australian Federal Police.
McLennan was also a Visiting Fellow at the Australian Institute of Police Management where he worked with the FBI in the USA and led the executive training program for senior officers on the 'Leadership in Counter-Terrorism -Pacific Region' program.
Photo supplied Caption; Tonga's new Police Commissioner, Shane McLennan