Police Commissioner Le’i Sonny Thompson is moving to expand manpower and strengthen the Department of Public Safety’s Vice & Narcotics Tactical Unit by inviting police officers to meet with the Commissioner before the end of next week.

“The expansion of our Vice & Narcotics Tactical Unit is our commitment to combat the infiltration of illegal drugs and narcotics within our shores,” Le’i wrote in his June 2nd memo addressed to all “sworn-in officers”.

Le’i revealed in the memo that Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga established early this year a Task Force for Domestic Security “to formulate mitigating strategies to curb and eliminate the plague of illicit drugs and narcotics [that] has played in our daily lives.”

“To be successful, we called for a united and coordinated effort with the Office of Samoan Affairs to partner with grassroots community organizations, faith based and non-governmental organizations to stand united with our law enforcement community to eliminate the systemic threat that drugs and narcotics imposes on our children and family,” he said.

And as DPS continues to “allocate appropriate resources to expand and strengthen” the Vice & Narcotics Tactical Unit, Le’i said his memo serves to inform all officers, who have expressed an interest to join this unit, should schedule to see the Commissioner no later than June 16, to discuss requisites necessary to be considered for the task force.

Le’i also encouraged “all leaders within our ranks to ensure” dissemination of this opportunity, memo, to reach all officers within the DPS police force.

The move to expand and strengthen the Vice & Narcotics Tactical Unit comes at a time when there have been calls from lawmakers and others in the community to stamp out the drug problem in American Samoa.

And the latest major drug case to come before the District Court two weeks ago shows the seriousness of the illegal drug problem in the territory. For this case, the defendant, Tautua Letasi, is charged with unlawful possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute; and unlawful possession of marijuana with intent to distribute. Letasi is also charged with two misdemeanor counts of possession of two unlicensed firearms. (See Samoa News edition June 1st for details.)

Last month, Le’i told Samoa News that the Honolulu Police Department has accept his request to help DPS with training of its vice and narcotics team. He says he requested help and HPD will be sending some of their officers to conduct local training soon.

During the governor’s cabinet meeting two weeks ago, Secretary of Samoan Affairs, Mauga T. Asuega thanked Le’i and DPS for their continued work in keeping the community safe and peaceful, as it’s not an easy task.

Mauga said it’s no secret as to the serious issues affecting the territory. And while American Samoa continues to live in peace and harmony, Mauga said it should be remembered that evil never stops. He then pointed out that everyone is aware of the serious problem with drugs in American Samoa, as well as domestic violence against women and young girls.

Mauga says it never misses — every week — reading in the newspaper about these shameful acts, including assault of women.

Besides “our post as leaders in government, we are also leaders in our villages as well as leaders in our churches,” he said and told directors to stand up to these problems and say, “enough, already, enough is enough.”

“Make it a point to say ‘enough is enough’. Let’s have a drug free island... and a trouble-free island. You can make a difference and I can make a difference,” Mauga told directors.

Mauga informed a Senate committee hearing in early April this year about the governor’s move to set up a Domestic Security Commission, chaired by Lt. Gov. Lemanu Peleti Mauga, to address the drug problem in American Samoa.

He says the whole community — not just the government — needs to work together to fight drug problem that is spreading faster than the Zika virus. (See Samoa News edition Apr. 5th for details).