DPS Marine Patrol receiving hands-on training from USCG safety and security team

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — Officers of the Department of Public Safety Marine Patrol Division are currently receiving top-level instruction and hands-on training in a three-week training program, facilitated by the US Coast Guard’s Maritime Safety and Security Team (MSST) Honolulu 91107.

Team Leader of the nine-member group, ENS Emily Titus told Samoa News that they are an Anti-Terrorism Force Group that travels to different unique locations in order to build maritime partners such as the American Samoa DPS Marine Patrol Division, by providing training in port safety and security.

She revealed that the main focus of their training is law enforcement and boat crew training.

 “In between our daily operations of getting underway, we’ve been doing law enforcement training and boat crew training teaching different law enforcement tactics and techniques that we implement throughout the Coast Guard,” she explained. “I think the training is going absolutely fantastic. The DPS Marine Patrol is very similar to the Coast Guard so they’re a great partnership to work with and have in American Samoa.”

ENS Titus pointed out that they have been learning a lot from each other in the past two weeks and the law enforcement training is definitely providing different techniques that the local Marine Patrol can implement in their work.

DPS Marine Patrol Division Chief Nofoaiga Ulberg (middle) flanked by ENS Emily Titus (right) the group leader of the US Coast Guard’s Maritime Safety and Security Team Honolulu 91107 and her second-in-command, BMI Matthew Tyler. [photo: Asi A. Fa’asau]

DPS Marine Patrol Chief Nofoaiga Ulberg echoed her sentiments explaining that the ongoing training is the manifestation of their partnership with the US Coast Guard which they have code-named “US Coast Guard Uso Malosi,” a Samoan expression that describes the strong bond of brotherhood between their two institutions.

 “As the Samoan saying goes, ‘O uo mo aso uma, a’o uso mo aso vale,” or “Friends for good days, brothers for days of adversity,’” Chief Ulberg quoted. “You see, only your own brother would be willing to risk his life to save you in times of trouble and hardship. “That is how we see our older brother, the US Coast Guard. I am very thankful for their support and assistance in helping us to do our job for our people who need our help. “It is a brotherly bond and partnership that we want to strengthen.”

According to Chief Ulberg, this is the second training coordinated by the US Coast Guard and other government agencies like the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and the Department of Port Administration have benefitted from extensive anti-terrorism security tactics.

However, their ongoing training focuses specifically on the duties of the Marine Patrol Unit where officers are taught navigation methods, reading and interpretation of maps using coordinates, which is of paramount importance during rescue operations of vessels in distress while in American Samoa’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

 “Our officers are receiving valuable training, which will make the difference between life and death especially if someone is seriously injured and needs to be transported quickly to the nearest hospital, or if the distressed vessel has sustained serious damage and is in danger of sinking,” the Marine Patrol Chief stated.

 “So when a vessel in distress sends in the coordinates of their location, our officers on duty will know exactly where to go by pinpointing the coordinates on the map. Armed with the knowledge they are currently receiving thanks to ENS Emily Titus and her team, our boys will know exactly where to go instead of going halfcocked or completely in the dark especially when time is of the essence.”

He clarified that their most important role is to safeguard the marine borders of American Samoa from foreign vessels entering territorial waters without clearance from Customs and Port Administration.

He stated that if they have suspicions that any foreign vessel is trying to enter the Territory illegally, they immediately contact the local US Coast Guard office and they will in turn alert their office in Hawaii.

Chief Ulberg revealed that the US Coast Guard Base in Hawaii has several marine vessels and surveillance aircraft at their disposal to answer to any call for assistance from any Pacific US territory or freely associated states. He said so far, they have not had any cause to request that assistance and that American Samoa is safe from any imminent danger.

He also explained that the DPS Marine Patrol Division’s primary role is boating safety catering to fishing boats, yachts and small foreign vessels, but since the added responsibility of search and rescue has been incorporated into their job description, they now also deal with search and rescue operations at sea.

 “These are very serious responsibilities where lives are at stake and it is imperative that our officers receive the right training like the current one,” Chief Ulberg pointed out. “That is why we are requesting more specialized training where elite US Coast Guard teams like the MSST Honolulu 91107 are deployed here to facilitate the training, or have our officers travel to Hawaii or the mainland for training.”

He again acknowledged with thanks the assistance of ENS Titus and her crew for the valuable training they were carrying out.

The three-week training ends tomorrow.