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Photo: RNZ Pacific/Moera Tuilaepa-Taylor
A well-placed source in the Samoan police says officers want their power to carry firearms widened.
The senior police officer says the fatal shooting of the former head of homicide last year sparked concern within the force.
However, a formal proposal has yet to be put together.
Samoa police calls for stronger firearms usage
Detective Sergeant Peniamina Perite was investigating an horrific family shooting last July when the gunman turned and shot him with a .22 rifle.
Neither he nor the other officers who attended were armed, and the lead detective died at the scene.
The senior officer told RNZ Pacific that, with the growing number of illegal firearms found during drug raids, it was time the law was reviewed.
However, Samoa’s Police Minister Faualo Harry Schuster said the current law is more than adequate.
“Under our current law, when the circumstances warrant it and there are reasonable grounds to arm the police, then they seek the approval of the Attorney-General and the Minister to allow them to be armed for raids. The process is very quick,” he said.
“This is in circumstances where there is evidence that there is a threat to their lives.”
He said Perite and the officers did not request permission to carry firearms before they went to investigate last year’s shooting.
“I think, in their assessment, they did not believe that it was necessary to be armed, and unfortunately, the accused turned around and behaved differently,” he said.
Had the officers applied to carry firearms the approval process would have been “instantaneous” as long as they had reasonable grounds on which to make the application.
“The way I see it, it is still the police’s call – if they find out a murder has been committed, it is for them to assess whether or not they want to go armed. If they do.”
Asked whether the police were adequately protected in the current environment, he said: “I know the status quo is okay, unless it is shown to be defective and inadequate.”
He said that during the German and New Zealand occupations of Samoa there were instances where Samoan people were ostracised overseas.
“Our country’s experience with firearms is not a pleasant one and for that reason our forefathers, when enshrining the constitution
decided we should not have a military, only the police. And the police should not be armed,” he said.
The Samoan culture is one of dialogue, and people try to resolve their differences through it, he said.
“Ninety-five percent of crime was dealt with at the village level, particularly more minor crime like petty theft.
“The village councils were very good at dealing with issues that arose in the village.
“If it all went through the police they would be swamped,” he added.
RNZ Pacific has contacted Police Commissioner Auapaau Logotino Filipo multiple times for comment.
