Samoa Police, Prisons and Corrections Services are moving to address the increase in the number of cyber crimes reported to the ministry. 

Samoa's law enforcement agency has announced the implementation of a cyber Investigation team to handle such reports and cases. 

Part of the implementation plan include upskilling Information Technology specialists within the police department to ensure that they remain on top of their game when investigating cybercrime. 

A statement from the Samoa Police, Prisons and Corrections Service confirmed that Cybersafety Pasifika’s Cyber Security Specialist Feterika Enoka, is in the country conducting trainings for the officers within Samoa's police force. 

Mr. Enoka who is of Samoan and Chinese heritage is based in New Zealand 

The New Zealander of Samoan-Chinese heritage is also a part of the Australian Federal Police Cyber Safety Pasifika Programme and a specialist in Digital Forensics, ICT and drones.

The New Zealand Police and the Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police Secretariat are collaboratively working with Samoa's ICT Unit in delivering the cybercrime training with the great help from Mr. Enoka. 

"Samoa's Police, Prisons and Corrections Services welcomes Mr Enoka and looks forward to working with him in the coming weeks on equipping our investigating officers on cybercrime," the statement from ministry of police reads. 

Attempts made by this newspaper to get a comment from Mr. Enoka on his stay in Samoa and the significance of addressing cybercrimes have been unsuccessful. 

Mr. Enoka started with the Pacific Island Chiefs of Police Secretariat in December 2021, joining the Australia Federal Police – Cyber Safety Pasifika (CSP) programme. He is a New Zealander of Samoan/Chinese heritage and is fluent in Samoan.

He has spent years working as a Digital Forensics Analyst with the Digital Forensic Unit in the High Tech Crime Group within NZ Police. He holds an international certification and is recognised as a Computer Forensics Certification Examiner (CFCE) which was completed from the International Association of Computer Investigative Specialist (IACIS). His interests include rugby and flying his drone to create aerial 3D imagery.

The ICT Unit from Samoa's law enforcement agency was also involved in the Cyber Smart Samoa week which was spearheaded by the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology (M.C.I.T.) in November of last year.