The governor called a meeting yesterday with the Commissioner of Public Safety to discuss overtime pay for police.
And according to the Commissioner Save Liuato Tuitele, the governor has instructed that the department begin processing overtime pay from just last year.
Overtime accrued prior to fiscal year 2015 will be reviewed.
The commissioner said at yesterday’s meeting the governor made the decision to pay overtime of police officers for fiscal year 2015 while the department carries out a review of overtime for prior years that have not been paid, to ensure that they are truthful and justified.
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Save who started as commissioner in January of last year said some of the overtime claims are questionable and he feels the reason why so much overtime was accrued is because of poor planning and management.
He says some of the claims he’s seen from before his time, has the employee working nearly 24 hours the full week,
He says this is not humanly possible.
The commissioner says he is moving to reduce overtime to just when it’s absolutely necessary, without curtailing service.
Following the governor’s State of the Territory address before the Fono on Monday, KHJ News received calls form police officers complaining that they worked 12 hours shifts for most of last year, and have not received overtime pay, yet the governor has said ASG is finishing the year with a surplus of nearly $5 million.
