While Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga has approved the arming of police officers, Senate President Gaoteote Tofau Palaie told Public Safety officials that he is against such a move and urged DPS to work closely with traditional village leaders to identify trouble makers before problems occur.

In his written 128-page State of the Territory Address, with copies given to lawmakers, the governor said he has approved arming of police officers, but he didn’t make such a statement when addressing lawmakers last week Monday during the official opening of the 34th Legislature.

The governor's address to lawmakers was in Samoan, and he urged all traditional leaders, including lawmakers to work together with DPS to root out drug use and protect police officers.

During the Senate Public Safety/Homeland Security Committee hearing on Wednesday this week, Sen. Galeai Tu’ufuli pointed out to Acting Police Commissioner Save Liuato Tuitele that the governor has approved the arming of officers.

The committee hearing provided an update on two shootings late last year which targeted the Department of Public Safety. While the shootings were initially investigated by the DPS Criminal Investigation Division, Save has appointed a six-member task force to focus attention on the investigation. (See yesterday’s front page of Samoa News for details.)

ARMING OFFICERS

In his written address, the governor said arming police officers gives them the capacity to protect themselves in the course of discharging public safety duties while protecting the lives and property of all the residents of American Samoa.

However he said the implementation of this policy is dependent on thorough training of officers and “having successfully passed psychological evaluation to determine emotional intelligence.”

He also called on traditional leaders, including lawmakers, to work together with the Public Safety Department to identify and prevent any future shootings targeting police, as well as preventing the spread of the drug problem in the territory.

SENATE HEARING

During the committee hearing, Galeai informed Save, who was accompanied at the witness table by Homeland Security Department director Utuali’i Iuniasolua Savusa and Chief of Police, Tauese Va’a Sunia, that the out-going police commissioner William Haleck had said during a Senate hearing that he was working on a proposal to arm police officers to be presented to the governor.

While there were concerns about the proposal, Galeai said the Fono didn’t tell Haleck not to move forward with the idea, but to first provide the necessary training for those officers to be armed.

(Senators also suggested that only officers in higher ranks dealing with investigations be trained— and undergo psychological evaluations— in order to be armed.)

Galeai also said that the governor is reported to have approved the arming of officers, but his concern is the slow response to these shootings by DPS, who have not yet completed their investigation.

However, Gaoteote said arming police officers is not the answer to these types of issues affecting police and the community.

“I’m against arming police officers,” he declared, and suggested that police should be working in collaboration with village leaders — as called for by the governor — to identify culprits and prevent the loss of the life of any police officer.

“One police officer who dies in the line of duty, is one too many,” Gaoteote said and reminded Save that DPS needs “to take care of police officers.”

Sen. Tuiasina Esera asked if police officers should be armed, and Save replied that such a move “is still not going to address the current problems” raised by senators — referring to the widespread use of drugs in the territory and the shooting of police officers.

Haleck told Samoa News early this month that he  remains firm on arming police officers after putting them through the appropriate training and evaluation. This was reaffirmed following the two shootings targeting police and he hoped that Save would support the arming of officers.

The idea of arming police officers surfaced in July 2010 by then police commissioner Tuaolo M. Fruean, following the deadly shooting of Lt. Det. Lusila Brown in front of the temporary High Court building in Fagatogo.

The government’s case against the alleged shooter, Siaumau Siaumau Jr., is still pending in court.