The chairman of the House Public Safety Committee, Ituau Representative Manumaua Wayne Wilson, is concerned about what has become a common occurrence at the Territorial Correctional Facility: the escape of inmates.
In the latest incident, police have yet to locate Thomas Siaumau who has been on the run since July 3.
Rep. Manumaua has scheduled a hearing for this Friday with the Commissioner of Public Safety and Director of Homeland Security about the situation at the TCF and other issues.
The lawmaker told KHJ News, “I understand the lack of funding to improve the security of the facility,” and added that understaffing at DPS has been a longstanding problem.”
Manumaua said the correctional facility staff have been working with what they have especially shortage of officers. “Nonetheless, inmates escaping should not occur and it’s something the warden and commissioner should seriously look into.”
Meanwhile a resident has stepped forward with information concerning Siaumau’s disappearance from the TCF.
The individual said it was between 11 and 12 noon on Wednesday, July 3 that she saw Siaumau out in the open. The woman didn’t want to specify the location where she spotted the escapee or her identity would be known and she was fearful of repercussions from the inmate’s family.
The woman said she immediately called 911 but the phone kept on ringing and there was no response.
She said that around 7:30 that Wednesday night she called the TCF and reported that she had seen Siaumau. She believes that it was only then that the guards became aware that Siaumau was not in his cell.
The woman said there was a better chance of locating the escapee if her 911 call had been answered but she said she dialed the emergency number more than once but no one picked up.
