“The training is done at the commissioned officer level, and for non-commissioned officers who make decisions in different situations,” said Nafo’itoa.
Police officers will soon get anger management training to help them deal with members of the public, including children.
The training is part of the Police response to an incident involving a 3-year-old who was locked in a Police cell with his father by four policemen.
During an interview with the Samoa Observer, Acting Police Commissioner, Nafo’itoa Talaimanu Keti said the training is a step in the right direction for the Force.
It is also an attempt to ensure what happened to the 3-year-old boy will not be repeated.
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“The training is done at the commissioned officer level, and for non-commissioned officers who make decisions in different situations,” said Nafo’itoa.
“It’s an approach that I’ve asked for to turn this incident involving the 3-year-old into something positive so that it would be a lesson for our officers to improve their standards and also to maintain the trust between the public and police.”
The training will also include childcare and protection, in line with the Child Care and Protection Bill before Parliament.
The Australian Police force will assist with the training.
Meanwhile, the four police officers have been suspended and are to appear before a Police Tribunal on the 28th October for a hearing.
The Acting Commissioner said the officers have been charged with negligent decision-making which has “ruined the reputation of police work”.
“They were negligent in their decision to lock the child up with the father,” said Nafo’itoa.
“That was their mistake but the police are still proceeding with charges against the father for driving an unlicensed vehicle.”
The Acting Commissioner declined to reveal the names of the officers.
However, he said one of them is a commissioned officer and three were non commissioned officers.
According to Nafo’itoa the father of the 3-year-old boy is charged with “after being warned to desist, persisting in committing the same offense”. Police are yet to set a date for the father to appear in court.
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