Human Resources Director Sonny Thompson says the move behind the memo issued on voluntary and involuntary reassignment and transfer of employees follows a memo of personnel changes at the Department of Public Safety made by DPS Chef of Police Tauese Va’a Sunia earlier this month.

These changes have left many police officers disgruntled. According to the HR, this memo led government employees to call HR raising concerns and voicing their complaints as to how these personnel changes are affecting the morale of police officers.

The HR Director made it clear that while this move came after the DPS personnel changes, the memo that was issued is not just for DPS— rather it is for all the Departments and Agencies.

According to the DPS memo that was leaked to Samoa News, Police Captain Pou Supapo is relieved of her duties as the Commanding Officer for the Tafuna West Substation to continue her duties with the Internal Affairs Unit and Police Lieutenant Ruta Letuli will temporarily oversee operations at the DPS Substation in Tafuna and will report directly to the Chief of Police.” Police Lieutenant Siaosi Aiono was moved from the Traffic Division as the Commanding Officer and is now back to Patrol.

Police Lieutenant Tolia Solaita is now with the Traffic Unit as the Commanding Officer with two Detectives with the Criminal Investigation Division, Vasa Wells and Alisha Godinet  now re-assigned to the Patrol Division.

Thompson said in his memo last week to all Departments and Agencies that voluntary and Involuntary reassignment and transfer of employees, especially career services employees, within or between agencies without approval by the Human Resources director is prohibited and must stop immediately.

BACKGROUND

The HR Director points out that under the American Samoa Administrative Code 4.0313(b) (1) &(2); reassignment is movement of a permanent employee from one position to another in the same or another class within the same agency with the prior approval of the director.

Transfer is defined as movement of a permanent employee from one position to another in the same or another class between agencies with the prior approval of the director.  All lateral movements of personnel must be approved by the Director, or in the case of the Judicial Branch, the Chief Justice.

According to the letter, the word Director in this case refers to the HR Director.

“Ignoring this warning will result in unnecessary time and effort trying to resolve employee grievances; cause disruptions in the workforce; create low morale; and most importantly, undermine employee dignity and rights. From an economic point of view it is counter productive and very much a liability the American Samoa Government can’t afford.”