American Samoa police officers at the substation west police base are working 12 hour shifts following a shortage of manpower and an increase in crime in the Tuala uta area.
The Commissioner of Public Safety, Sotoa Savali says that the decision was made in response to an increase in crime in the Tuala-uta area; with an increase in reports of burglaries, fights and other disturbances.
He says some shifts have had only 2 or 3 police officers working and it is impossible to respond to all the calls that come in with that amount of manpower.
Sotoa says only the substation west will be working extended shifts for now.
He says the upcoming police academy is a response to the severe shortage faced by the department.
The commissioner says that the rising crime rate from the Nuuuli Tafuna area is a concern as many of the suspects involved are teenagers.
