A senior Tongan police officer has been suspended today November 24  after causing a traffic accident in Nuku’alofa while driving a Police car.

Commissioner Steve Caldwell has confirmed this and said: “I have directed a criminal investigation into all circumstances surrounding this incident.”

The Senior Police officer was involved in a traffic crash in central Nuku’alofa, “on the early hour of Saturday 19 November 2016 at the entrance to the Queen Salote Wharf”.

“I have set standards, and expect them to be met, from all ranks within the Tonga Police”, the commissioner said.

Police said no other vehicles were involved and the car is believed to have collided with a fence.

The investigation is expected to take several weeks, Caldwell said.