It’s unclear if the employment entry tests given last month by the Department of Public Safety for possible candidates to enter the Police Academy is legitimate, as Human Resources claims that DPS violated HR policies when they tested the public without the test first going through HR for approval.

Responding to Samoa News, Human Resources Director Sonny Thompson confirmed that “employment tests or any other type of examination designed to hire, promote, or for other personnel-related issues must go through HR.”

Responding from off-island, Thompson said, “Directives on all personnel matters must be coordinated and approved by HR.”

 “And, no we were not involved with the preparation or coordination of the police academy test,” he noted, adding that he hopes this will not happen again. “I hope we will do it right in the future.”

Deputy Director Eseneiaso Liu also told Samoa News that any examination, which is given that is designed to hire anyone must be “basic English and math” and further said that it’s unclear as to what was on the latest test given by DPS.

DPS Commissioner William Bill Haleck referred all questions regarding the test to Commander Va’aomala Sunia with their training unit. However as of press time, Samoa News had not received a response from Sunia on this specific matter.

The Commissioner did tell Samoa News, “All of the applicants that tested for our new academy applied though our ASG Human Resources for pre-qualification screening before testing. “So all our applicants for our new academy were all coordinated and vetted through our ASG Human Resources Department.”

He also noted that there was a representative from ASG’s HR Department working with them throughout the applicant process. “So we are in compliance with Lt. Governor Lemanu’s requirements” on the tests.

During a cabinet meeting last week, Lt Governor Lemanu Peleti Mauga pointed out to directors that for every employment entry test, they need to communicate with the HR Department prior to conducting testing of the public.

He encouraged them to seek assistance from HR, as it appears that there are departments and agencies that are not complying with HR policies, and urged directors to work with HR. 

 Last month Haleck told Samoa News that there’s a possibility there will be only ten recruits for the police academy from the 300 candidates that took the entry tests.  However,   DPS was hoping to send 20 candidates to the police academy.