Hundreds apply to join Samoa Police Force

The Ministry of Police and Prison Services has received almost 200 applications from individuals wanting to join the country’s police force

Deputy Police Commissioner Papalii Monalisa Tiai Keti told Tala Fou that the 184 applications were received from the recent police recruitment that closed last week Wednesday.

The police force currently employs approximately 921 officers.

However, the Police Commissioner Auapaau Logoitino Filipo told Tala Fou last year that the Ministry needs at least 1027 officers for the Police Ministry to be effectively operational in maintaining law and order throughout the country.

Auapaau said then that there was a notable drop in the number of police officers over the past couple of years as a result of many of the Ministry’s employees taking up temporary seasonal job opportunities in NZ and Australia.

Deputy Police Commissioner Papalii today explained to Tala Fou that the 180 applications will now go through a series of recruitment and selection processes, before the group of police recruits are selected and then put through vigorous training programs for three to six month, before the actual number of new police recruits from this cohort will be determined, and then they will graduate and finally join the police force.

 

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