The incident that resulted in the death of a police sergeant while attempting to apprehend the man who shot a resident of Nofoalii raised many questions from the public.
The public questioned why the police were not armed when they went to Fasitoo Uta to arrest the suspect, given the delicate situation.
Today, the Samoan media questioned the Police Commissioner about the matter.
In response, Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo stated that he does not have the authority to order his officers to be armed for such raids.
“Under the Police Power Act, only the Minister and the Attorney General have the authority to approve the arming of police officers. The Commissioner does not have the legal authority to order the arming of the police…”
During the initial, unarmed raid in Fasito’o Uta to apprehend the suspect, the police were at a disadvantage. It was reported that the next day, the police returned armed and successfully apprehended the man, Pokati.
Au’apa’au also mentioned that there is currently a law being drafted for the police, and recommendations have been made by the Department to grant the Commissioner the authority to make urgent decisions to arm the police for raids when necessary.
Tusia i le gagana Samoa
E leai se malosi’aga a le Komesina e fa’a’aupegaina ai leoleo
O le fa’alavelave na maimau ai le soifua o se alii malu o le mālō ina ua sātia ao feagai ai ma galuega ina ia pu’eina mai le tamā na ia fanaina se tasi o tamā mai Nofoalii, na agiga ai le tele o fesili a le atunuu.
Na fesiligia e le atunuu, pe aiseā na lē fa’a’aupegaina ai leoleo i le taimi na agai atu ai i Fasitoo Uta e taofia ma pue mai lea tagata, auā o le mea mautinoa e ma’aleale lea tulaga.
I le asō, na maua ai le avanoa o le au faasalalau(media) a le atunuu e fesiligia ai le Komesina o leoleo e tusa o lea tulaga.
I le tali mai a le Komesina ia Auapaau Logoitino Filipo, e leai se malosiaga ia te ia e mafai ai ona ia faatonuina ana leoleo ia fa’a’aupega mo sea osofa’iga.
“I le tulāfono o le Police Power Act a leoleo, e na’o le afioga i le Minisitā ma le Lōia Sili e mafai ona lā approve ina mai le fa’a’aupegaina o leoleo. E leai se malosi’a a le Komesina e nate order ina ai leoleo i lalo faaletulāfono e o e arm…”.
Peita’i i le fa’alavelave lea na tula’i mai i Fasito’o, i le osofaiga muamua a leoleo mo le pu’eina mai o le tamā ua taofia; e lei fa’a’aupegaina leoleo. Ae o le aso na sosoo ai na faailoa na tpe malaga ai leoleo ma ua faaupegaina lea na latou pu’e mai ai loa le tamā ia Pokati.
Ua faailoa foi e Au’apa’au, o le taimi nei o loo fau le tulāfono lea mo leoleo ma ua mae’a tuuina atu ai fautuaga a le Matāgaluega ina ia mafai ona iai sea malosiaga i le Komesina e faia ai se faaiuga faapea faanatinati i tulaga e tatau ona faa’aupega ai leoleo mo osofaiga.
