Fuiavailili Egon Keil Explained

Fuiavailili Egon Keil
Office:Samoan Police Commissioner
Primeminister:Tuila'epa Sa'ilele Malielegaoi
Term Start:10 April 2015
Term End:23 August 2021
Predecessor:Lilomaiava Fou Taioalo
Successor:Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo
Nationality:Samoan

Fuiavailili Egon Lincoln Keil (born ~1965)[1] was Samoa's Police Commissioner from March 2015 to August 2021.

Early life

Keil is from the village of Palauli.[2] He is the son of businessman Maposua Rudolf Keil.[1]

He was educated at California State University, Dominguez Hills, graduating with a B.Sc. in criminal justice administration.[2] After working for a year as a prison guard in the Utah Department of Corrections, he joined the Los Angeles Police Department in 1995.[2] He served for 17 years with the LAPD, rising to the rank of Assistant Watch Commander.[2]

He returned to Samoa in 2012, where he operated a car repair business and on the board of the Samoa Fire and Emergency Services Authority.[2]

Police commissioner

In March 2015 Keil was appointed Samoan Police Commissioner, the first person from outside the Samoan police to be appointed to the job.[1] When appointed he announced his intention to improve police accountability,[3] [4] and shortly after being appointed he suspended four police officers for being involved in criminal activity.[5] He subsequently introduced compulsory training for police officers.[6] In December 2015 another three police officers were charged with corruption.[7] Keil's attempts at reform led to discontent within the police force, and in December 2015 an anonymous letter was sent to the prime minister and government officials alleging the police were being run "like a military base".[8]

In August 2016 Keil was charged with perjury, unlawful detention, providing false statements, and disorderly conduct over the arrest of a man by armed police in 2015.[9] [10] He was subsequently suspended by Cabinet.[11] All charges were dropped due to lack of evidence in November 2016,[12] but during his suspension 40 police officers signed a petition of no confidence against him.[13] The day after he returned to work he was detained and charged with incitement to murder.[14] [15] He was again suspended,[16] and subsequently charged with 259 charges, including 120 counts of illegal possession of firearms, eight counts of intimidation, six of uttering threatening words, and one count of inciting murder. In February 2017 all charges were again dismissed for lack of evidence.[17] He was reinstated to his position in March 2017.[18] [19]

He was appointed to a second three year term in July 2018.[2] [20] He subsequently oversaw the investigation of the 2019 Samoa assassination plot.[21] and the police's enforcement of emergency orders as part of the 2019 Samoa measles outbreak[22] and COVID-19 pandemic in Samoa.[23] During the 2021 Samoan constitutional crisis Keil accompanied Chief Justice Satiu Simativa Perese to the locked doors of parliament as a sign of support for the rule of law.[24] On 7 July, he announced he would be leaving the country to receive health treatment.[25] [26] He returned to Samoa in late July.[27]

In August 2021 he announced that he would retire when his contract ended in January 2022.[28] On 23 August 2021 he resigned with immediate effect.[29] [30] In July 2022 he was succeeded as police commissioner by Auapa'au Logoitino Filipo.[31]

In November 2021 he was awarded the policing Champion of Change award by the Australasian Council of Women and Policing.[32]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Egon Keil appointed Samoa Police Commissioner . RNZ . 26 March 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  2. News: Fuiava Egon Keil officially reappointed as Police Commissioner . . 21 July 2018 . 6 July 2021 .
  3. Web site: New police head in Samoa looks to improve reputation . RNZ . 14 April 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  4. Web site: New Samoa Police Commissioner Promises Changes . Pacific Islands Report . 13 April 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  5. Web site: Four police officers suspended in Samoa . RNZ . 28 April 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  6. Web site: New Samoa Police Commissioner Makes Positive Changes . Pacific Islands Report . 8 May 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  7. Web site: Three police officers in Samoa face corruption charges . RNZ . 23 December 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  8. Web site: Top cop responds . Pai Mulitalo Ale . Samoa Observer . 27 December 2015 . 6 July 2021.
  9. Web site: Samoa Police Commissioner Charged With Wrongful Arrest . Pacific Islands Report . 16 August 2016 . 6 July 2021.
  10. News: Samoas Top Cop and Top Prosecutor Charged . Talanei . 16 August 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190818061131/https://www.talanei.com/2016/08/16/samoas-top-cop-and-top-prosecutor-charged/ . 18 August 2019 . 6 July 2021 . live.
  11. Web site: Samoa Cabinet Suspends Police Commissioner, Top Prosecutor . Pacific Islands Report . 18 August 2016 . 6 July 2021.
  12. Web site: Charges against Samoa police commissioner dropped . RNZ . 11 November 2016 . 6 July 2021.
  13. News: Details of No-Confidence Petition Against Samoa's Top Cop . Talanei . 2 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190818061142/https://www.talanei.com/2016/11/02/details-of-no-confidence-petition-against-samoas-top-cop/ . 18 August 2019 . 17 August 2019 . live . The leaked petition, signed by close to 40 commissioned officers including the executive body of the Ministry of Police, says it has evidence to support their call for a Commission of Inquiry..
  14. Web site: Samoa's police chief detained and charged . RNZ . 14 November 2016 . 6 July 2021.
  15. News: Samoa Police Commissioner Re-Arrested After Case Was Dismissed . Talanei . 14 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190818061201/https://www.talanei.com/2016/11/14/samoa-police-commissioner-re-arrested-after-case-was-dismissed/ . 18 August 2019 . 17 August 2019 . live.
  16. Web site: Samoa cabinet suspends police commissioner . RNZ . 15 November 2016 . 6 July 2021.
  17. Web site: Samoa court dismisses all charges against suspended police commissioner . RNZ . 20 February 2017 . 6 July 2021.
  18. Web site: Samoa PM confirms return of suspended Police Commissioner . RNZ . 11 March 2017 . 6 July 2021.
  19. Web site: Samoa police chief says time to put differences aside . RNZ . 14 March 2017 . 6 July 2021.
  20. Web site: Despite controversy, Keil to continue as Samoa police chief . RNZ . 13 July 2018 . 6 July 2021.
  21. Web site: Samoa police investigating alleged plot to assassinate PM . RNZ . 14 August 2019 . 6 July 2021.
  22. Web site: 2019 People of the Year: Fuiavailiili Egon Keil . Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong . Samoa Observer . 31 December 2019 . 6 July 2021.
  23. Web site: Samoa's police warn against violation of State of Emergency orders . RNZ . 23 March 2020 . 6 July 2021.
  24. Web site: Samoa's Judiciary Sends Powerful Message to Other Branches of Government . Sina Retzlaff . Samoa Global News . 24 May 2021 . 6 July 2021.
  25. Web site: Police Commissioner to fly out for treatment . Lanuola Tusani Tupufia - Ah Tong . Samoa Observer . 7 July 2021 . 8 July 2021.
  26. Web site: Community in Good Hands During Police Commissioner's Brief Absence . Loreta Kelemete . Samoa Global News . 9 July 2021 . 9 July 2021.
  27. Web site: Top cop assures nation of law and order . Tina Mata'afa-Tufele . Samoa Observer . 28 July 2021 . 29 July 2021.
  28. Web site: Former Samoa leader unhappy with NZ judge appointments . RNZ . 18 August 2021 . 18 August 2021.
  29. Web site: Police Commissioner resigns . Matai'a Lanuola Tusani T - Ah Tong . Samoa Observer . 23 August 2021 . 23 August 2021.
  30. Web site: The Man Who Led Major Reforms to Samoa's Police Service Resigns . Samoa Global News . 23 August 2021 . 23 August 2021.
  31. Web site: Samoan police commissioner wants to set up new complaints body . RNZ . 8 July 2022 . 25 July 2022.
  32. Web site: Former Commissioner's historic Champion of Change honour . Samoa Observer . Adel Fruean . 25 November 2021 . 25 November 2021.

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