Le’i denies officer drew a weapon at Vaitogi police vehicle accident

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Police Commissioner Le’i Sonny Thompson has ordered all weapons issued to all qualified officers to be turned in to his office. This, he says, is not part of an internal police investigation that is currently underway regarding the incident involving a police officer, who allegedly aimed a gun at bystanders after they had rushed to help injured police officers when their police unit crashed into a ditch in Vaitogi early Sunday morning,

Apparently Le’i’s order does not sit well with some of the senior qualified police officers who have received proper training to carry weapons. Some of them voiced their disappointment and anger over their leader’s order.

Samoa News spoke to several senior officers about the order, and they confirmed that the order went out on Wednesday morning after Le’i found out about the alleged incident through Samoa News.

One senior officer said that this incident wouldn’t have happened if the operator of the police unit that crashed into a ditch had followed orders.

According to the senior officer, the DPS 13 unit that crashed was involved in a car chase with a truck in the Vaitogi area. However, the chase was cancelled and the operator of the DPS 13 unit, along with two occupants in the unit (both new police officers) were ordered to report back to the office.

However, a few moments after DPS 13 unit received orders to cancel the chase, they spotted the same truck around the area and the chase resumed until the police car ended up in a ditch in Vaitogi, injuring two police officers. The driver of the police unit was not injured.

The senior officer told Samoa News that based on the information from the two occupants of the crashed police unit, the police vehicle was speeding and the driver was unable to control it.

Inquiries were sent to the Police Commissioner for a comment regarding the incident.

The following is Police Commissioner Le’i’s first response in full to Samoa News’ inquiries regarding the incident:

“Thanks for asking and I am sure that you are aware, any accident requires investigation; and until such investigation is completed, we cannot comment one way or the other. If the general public (person in specific) has an urgent issue to be resolved relative to this matter, they can come in and see me or the Deputy Commissioner, Commander Falana'i Sagapolutele.”

A caller who contacted Samoa News about the accident said that people of Vaitogi who lived near the area where the accident took place rushed to the scene to help after they saw that one of the occupants was injured. However, the rescuers were shocked when a police officer walked around holding a gun aimed towards people while the people were trying to help the cop who was injured.

The caller also told Samoa News that the police unit was in pursuit of a Titan truck that was heading from Vaitogi village towards the intersection with Iliili when the police vehicle skidded off the road and crashed into the ditch.

When asked again by Samoa News yesterday regarding the allegation that a police officer aimed a gun at bystanders, Le’i denied any such action in his second email to Samoa News.

“Our Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) preliminary findings revealed that written statements by the very bystanders (we presumed you are alluding to); that the female officer did not aim a weapon to them,” Le’i said.

When asked if the female officer received proper training to be armed, Le’i said, “Yes, the female officer in question received proper and required weapons training.”

With regard to the issue of turning in weapons, Le’i said he issued the order.

“Yes I have ordered all weapons issued to the qualified officers to be turned in as part of our mandatory and on going training/ certification reassessment and reevaluation as required by ASCA Title 46, Firearms; Subparagraph (a) through (c); and ASCA Title 46, Authorized possessions and use of arms without license; Subparagraph (a) through (c),” Le’i told Samoa News.

Finally, Le’i denied that nothing has been done to address other accidents involving DPS police units driven by the same operator.

“The Driver of the vehicle involved didn't sustain any injuries from the accident and has been transferred to another division until the Traffic Accident Investigation is completed. The other officers in the vehicle who sustained minor injuries are on medical leave,” Le’i said, adding that “there were two accidents not three, and appropriate disciplinary actions were taken.”