Director of the Office of Fraud Prevention and Investigation (OFPI) Save Liuato Tuitele has been appointed Commissioner of Public Safety and his name has been submitted to the fono for approval. In a letter to the fono, Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga asked the lawmakers to confirm him as the next DPS Commissioner.

Outgoing commissioner, William E. Haleck, who took over the post in January 2013 at the start of the Lolo Administration, left last month for the mainland and returned Monday night. He met with the governor Friday where it was reported that he tendered his letter of resignation.  Haleck confirmed with Samoa News that he has resigned for personal reasons, especially to spend more time with his family on the mainland. Haleck visited them over the Christmas holidays and reached the decision to step down.

“I want to spend more time with my family — with how many days left in my life given to me by God,” he said, adding that he has been traveling back and forth to the territory for several years now including the last two years when he was police commissioner. “So I thought now would be the best time to be with my family, instead of spending more time away from them.”

In his letter to the fono, the governor pointed out that Save was born and raised in the territory, a graduate of Samoana High School and has held several position in the government including serving as a police officer for over five years.

In October 1973, he enlisted in the US Army where he spent the next 30 years eventually rising to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer five. During his distinguished career Save focused on military law enforcement in the Military Police. According to the governor’s letter, he completed various training conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and others. He attended the Honolulu Police Academy and graduated from the University of Hawaii with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice Management.

According to Lolo during Save’s military career he held senior administrative positions including being the Military Police Operations Officer for the CID Commands at Fort Lewis Washington, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii and Fort Hood, Texas. Since Save’s retirement and return to American Samoa he has worked as an Associate Judge. Lolo pointed out to the Senators that Save’s resume finds him a highly qualified for the position of Commissioner of Public Safety.

Last week Samoa News received phone calls from police officers complaining that while Haleck has tendered his resignation, he was still driving around in the vehicle assigned to the Commissioner and that Save was driving a police vehicle. The officers said it was unclear why Haleck continued to use the vehicle when there was an Acting Commissioner already appointed.