Tonga leader says police provide 'freedom from fear,' support democracy 

FILE - Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni arrives for the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Summit, hosted by President Joe Biden, at the South Portico of the White House in Washington, Sept. 25, 2023.

Tonga's Prime Minister Siaosi Sovaleni underscored the role of police to provide "freedom from fear" in democracies in a speech to Pacific Islands police chiefs on Tuesday, noting the rising global focus on the region by major powers.