By Staff Writer
Selected police and fisheries officers on security duties along the sea borders and economic zone of Samoa are adding more work skills in their line of maritime enforcement service this week.
A US Coast Guard organised maritime boarding officers course started last Monday is helping boost skill levels over the two weeks training from June 9-20, 2025.
The course covers a broad spectrum of essential topics, including professional communication, international maritime law, boarding procedures, arrest and detention protocols, high-risk search techniques and practical boarding scenarios.
Participants from the Samoa Police and Fisheries collaborated with members from the U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Training Team and Fourteenth Coast Guard District in a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on exercises ensuring the application to realistic operational environments.
“Our goal is to enhance the proficiency and safety of boarding teams as they carry out vital maritime security missions,” said Lt. Channing Meyer, a lead Operation Blue Pacific planner for the Fourteenth District.
“This training will prepare personnel to handle a wide range of scenarios with professionalism and confidence, ultimately helping to protect Samoa’s maritime borders and ensure the safety of our shared waterways.”
The Maritime Boarding Officer Course is part of the U.S. Coast Guard’s ongoing commitment to operational safety and maritime security.
Key participants of this course were maritime police, fisheries compliance officers and other personnel who carry out maritime law enforcement, border security, and patrols at sea.
“This is the first U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Training Team that has been deployed to Samoa in recent years, but it is one of 20 other courses that have been executed throughout the Pacific Islands since 2023,” said Lt. Rebecca Edmonds, Oceania and North Asia program manager at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters.
“The program is synchronized and aligned with Australia’s Pacific Maritime Security Program and provides tailored law enforcement, engineering, and small boat operations support to each recipient of a Guardian Class Patrol vessel.”
This course also complements the bilateral maritime law enforcement, commonly known as the “shiprider” program where Samoa Police and Fisheries officers patrol the Samoan exclusive economic zone onboard U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy vessels.
“The Boarding Officer Course is part of an ongoing cooperation to strengthen maritime security, improve coordination between agencies and build operational capacity for our Samoan counterparts,” said U.S. Chargé d’Affaires Daniel Tarapacki, U.S. Embassy Apia, Samoa.
“The course is designed to provide Samoa’s boarding team members with classroom instruction and numerous practical exercises to confidently conduct maritime law enforcement boardings at sea.”
About the U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Training Team:
The U.S. Coast Guard Mobile Training Team (MTT) is a deployable unit that fosters international cooperation and strengthens maritime partnerships by providing specialized training and technical assistance to partner nations around the globe. Every year, they train over 1,000 international partners in more than 40 countries.
