By Martha Taumata Faavae
A career service of 20 years and 3 months took a major step for Auapaau Logoitino Filipo when he was promoted deputy Commissioner of Police on Friday.
He shares the second highest police ranking with lady deputy Commissioner Papali’i Monalisa Tia’i-Nafo’i.
Aupaau served under 6 consecutive police commissioners, four of them in Samoa and two while serving under the UN peace keeping mission in the Solomon Islands.
The 50 year old did not want to compare his former bosses except that they were different in their own personal ways.
“What I can say is that our police work is moving forward and that is the direction where I too am going, to continue with the good progress we are making in the service,” Aupaau promised in his new job responsibilities.
There are no easy challenges ahead for the new deputy Commissioner but his personal commitment above all else is to uphold the law.
Mutual respect is one of the success secrets he is keen to promote.
“We don’t have the resources we need to carry out the kind of effective police work we must do in Samoa and the answer to that is working in partnership with the traditional authority of villages chiefs and orators.”
Aupaau will be in charge of police operations in his new role as deputy Commissioner while National Security will be under his colleague Deputy Commissioner Papali’i Monalisa Tia’i-Nafo’i.
Included in the senior promotions made during the week were two assistant Commissioners.
Muliagatele Lorraine Lees moves up to Assistant Commissioner National Operations and Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga, Assistant Commissioner District.
Ms. Lydia Jahnke takes over as the Assistant-CEO for the police legal section.
For the 50 year old resident of Si’usega and Fa’atoia, Assistant Commissioner Muliagatele, the way ahead for women in the police force has long been defined by the Samoan saying that women are achievers; “ E au le inailau a tama’ita’i”
“The opportunities for women to move ahead in the police profession are there for us to take, unlike the way it was in the early days,” Muliagatele said.
“A positive attitude is the best way forward if you want to achieve anything, there are others in the police who are equally capable of doing this job also.”
Assistant Commissioner Leiataua Samuelu Afamasaga is focused on delivering a professional service for people to appreciate and to have a better understanding of matters they are involved in.
Commissioner of Police, Fuiavailili confirmed that more than 20 applications were made for promotion and the final selection was recommended to Cabinet for final approval.
“I didn’t just want good people to take over the job, I wanted the best and it came down to these two men and woman,” Commissioner Fuiavailili said.
“All have served for a long time with the police and all have solid background in law enforcement and leadership.”
Fuiavailili is keen to win the trust and confidence of the Government in the police delivering the best service that is now possible by having the best people for the work.
“ I don’t want a good organisation, I want a great organisation to advance the level of police work in the country.”
The Commissioner noted the added challenges to the work with the return of the prison duties back to the police and their own set of problems.
Traffic duties, once under the Land and Transport Authority are now with the police to handle again.
“These senior officer promotions makes it possible for the police work to be done efficiently, professionally and innovatively and I am confident of having the best officers around I can depend on for their advise.”
