On February 6, 2007, Governor Togiola Tulafono issued Executive Order No. 003 - 2007 establishing the Department of Homeland Security within the Executive Branch, consolidating the following agencies:
1. Office of Vital Statistics (OVS)
2. Territorial Emergency Management Coordination Office (TEMCO)
3. Territorial Office of Homeland Security (TOHS)
4. Office of Territorial and International Criminal Intelligence and Drug Enforcement (OTICIDE)
5. South Pacific Islands Criminal Intelligence Network (SPICIN)
6. U.S. INTERPOL Pacific Sub-Bureau (American Samoa, Guam and Saipan)
The Governor designated the Department of Homeland Security as the State Administrative Agendy (SAA) for the U.S. Office of Domestice Preparedness (ODP) grant administration and oversight. State Homeland Security Grant Program (SHSGP) provides funds to enhance the capability of state and local units of goverment to prevent, deter, respond to, and recover from incidents of terrorism. The use of these funds must be consistent with and supportive of implementation of the State Homeland Security Grant Strategy.
OTICIDE Director Mike Sala was appointed as Acting Director for the Department of Homeland Security and he is to report directly to the Governor to assure that the activities of the Department of Homeland Security and its component agencies are in direct alignment with the priorities and goals of the American Samoa Government. The Director shall report to the Governor, within 90 days of the effective date of this Order, on the current state of the affected agencies, along with recommendations for organizational structure and staff constitution in order to maximize efficiency, effectiveness and responsiveness to federal and local objectives, requirements and mandates.
The Department shall have the further function of coordinating, consolidating and collaborating the efforts of its component agencies into a cogent whole the supports the overall purposes of all hazard preparedness, response, detection, deterrence, prevention and enforcement. |
