Deidre Fanene
Police Commissioner, Fuiavailili Egon Keil, is not a sit in the office general. He is a lead from the front leader and has proven it by leading several illegal drug raids in the villages.
He defended his frontline preferences to lead his police tactical team at the risk of his safety and protection as the kind of lead by example that suits him.
Fuiavailili did admit that there are certain cases he wants to be comfortable getting involved in with his officers.
“We haven’t matured yet as an organization of law enforcers that I am comfortable in.
“I have to be comfortable to let my people go do those kind of work themselves.”
This he asserted is his own style of leadership.
“My style of leadership is that I want up to be up in the front and I want to lead by example.
“I want to let my people know too that hey! I can do this, and if I can do it then they can do it.
“I also want to monitor my people whose been doing this type of risky operations and I think it’s just setting an example.”
The Commissioner is not prepared to sit in the office directing people to do the work, including cases that he feels he needs to be involved in.
“I think it’s best if I go out, and there are some cases where I have to let people know and make those types of decisions and make different types of operations to get involved in.”
Fuiavailili agreed it is very risky for everyone especially for a Police Commissioner to be leading a team during the raid because there is a good chance that he might never come back.
“It is a risky job for anyone.
“And it is even more risky for a Police Commissioner to be near the front in this sort of operation let alone leading a raid and putting together the whole thing.
“There is a good chance that you might not come back and it’s not just the Commissioner too but its everyone that actually respond to these things.”
Members of the police tactical team are the ones he felt are the ones in very high risk situations.
“People up there got guns and they are dealing with all kinds of drugs and there are certain kinds of drugs that are being sold up there and it’s not just marijuana being exchange.”
Fuiavailili does not want to compare his leadership style to previous Commissioners.
“I believe that if my troop sees that I am willing to take the risk, they will work a little bit harder for you.”
He believes that taking the lead will build his officers confidence at seeing him doing the same work they are doing and putting his life at risk the same as they are doing.