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Police in Samoa's Ground Zero

Police Commissioner, Howard Broad
It's been a difficult week, as the initial shock of Samoa's tsunami turns to grim updates about loved ones lost and homes destroyed.
 
Many of our staff are deeply affected. New Zealand Police employs over 600 people of Pacific descent and I'm acutely aware of the impact this disaster has had on them.
 
I feel privileged to have been invited to assist at a church service in Auckland to give police families time out to mourn their great loss. The service was arranged to run simultaneously with the national remembrance service in Samoa (Thursday 8 October, 8.30am).
 
I'm very proud the police staff we deployed to the disaster scene have worked so hard to help their Samoan counterparts. (NZ Herald, 5 Oct)
 
We have our South & West Pacific Liaison Officer permanently stationed in the Samoan capital, Apia. Ross Ardern had only been there a few weeks before the disaster, but quickly started liaising with the Samoan Police Commissioner and the NZ High Commission. He also scoped out what assistance might be requested of Police.
 
As soon as the request was received from Samoa, we were able to swing into action. To date, we have sent
  • two disaster victim identification specialists - to help to identify bodies and return them to their families
  • two radio technicians to establish a police radio network on the south coast
  • 12 specialist search staff - police trained to search in any situation, from a crime scene to a natural disaster
  • four victim recovery dogs and their handlers, to search for bodies.
Soon after the tsunami, Assistant Commissioner Steve Shortland visited the worst-hit areas and met with senior officials.
 
Here in Wellington, Police representatives continue to meet every day with other agencies to ensure our relief efforts are coordinated and focused.
 
My thoughts are with all the families and communities still reeling from this disaster, particularly our Police employees.
 
E momoli atu se fa'amafanafanaga ia Samoa atoa 'ua ufitia 'i le pogisa ma le fa'anoanoa.