By Martha Taumata Fa’avae
The Ministry of Police has so far collected fines worth up to $45,000 since the State of Emergency started and the Commissioner Fuiavailili Egon Keil has personally confirmed it.
The money was collected from all who violated the orders of the SOE.
But the amount is nowhere near the record $1.7m tala that flowed into the police money vaults from last year.
Commissioner Fuiavailili is very confident his Ministry will earn a whopping $16m tala a year with the added duties of manning the Prisons after it was merged back under the police watch.
Traffic duties are back with the police as well after a short spell with the Land Transport Authority.
“All the money we collect are forwarded to the Government for them to use, nothing stays with police,” Fuiavailili clarified.
He added also that the policing of the SOE orders are going well with many of the public more aware now of their responsibilities.
But there is no lack of vigilance especially with media reports keeping a critical watch on the work of the police.
The Commissioner did not take lightly to a recent media report of police officers who reportedly chased out members of a congregation while attending service for SOE violations.
He was able to come down when the media claims were investigated and proved to be untrue.
More than 500 police officers are assigned to enforce the SOE orders.
