The traffic division will remain with the Ministry of Police while the registration of vehicles will be transferred back to the Land and Transport Authority.
The move was confirmed by Minister of Police and Prisons, Faualo Harry Schuster.
He said they awaiting a report from the Ministry of Finance in response to a joint request from the Land Transport Authority and the Ministry of Police regarding the transfer.
He said the drivers license and registration of vehicle will all be transferred back to the LTA. However the law enforcement of traffic will remain under the umbrella of the police.
The Minister added that enforcement should remain with the police they have authority t carry out their mandates by law.
Faualo emphasised the traffic is a duty that is conduct by every police officer, not just those in the Traffic Division.
In 2018 the L.T.A. was forced to offer redundancy packages to some of its Traffic Division staff after the previous Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) administration transferred its functions to the Ministry of Police. Other staff were transferred to other Ministries while others resigned.
In 2018 the former Commissioner of Police, Fuiavailiili Egon Keil, wrote to the then Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi to request an amendment to the Road Traffic Act 2009, empowering police to issue their own traffic infringement notices; issue citations and secure revenue generated from traffic fines.
The law was passed in 2019 and the Police Service gained responsibilities such as for the registration of vehicles and licensing of drivers.
