The Police outpost in Savai’i and the Tanumalala prison will soon have their own Deputy Commissioners. 

This comes after Parliament approved a $2.7 million budget allocation to fund the positions and other services for the force. 

The funding for the Ministry of Police and Prisons was among several expenditures in the Government’s $42.2 million supplementary budget for 2020/2021. 

The Minister of Finance, Sili Epa Tuioti noted the $2.7 million to support the improved services of the force and to build a new headquarter in the big island. 

“This includes Deputy Commissioners for Savai'i and Prisons,” Sili told Parliament earlier this month. 

“The transfer of registration services for motor vehicles from the Land Transport Authority is also included in this provision as well as an allocation to begin works for the Ministry’s new headquarters in Salelologa in Savai’i.”  

The Ministry of Police recently took over the Samoa Prisons Corrections Services merging the two entities following multiple prison breaks.   

The current Ministry of Police’s structure has the existence of two Deputy Commissioners that include the first female to have held the rank, Papalii Monalisa Tiai-Keti.

The other recently appointed Deputy Police and Prisons Commissioner for Criminal Investigation Division and outpost is Auapaau Logoitino Filipo. 

Amongst other high ranked officers in management is the Assistant Commissioner of National Operations, Muliagatele Lorraine Lees, Assistant Commissioner of District, Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga, and Assistant Chief Executive Officer Legal, Lydia Jahnke.