Police chief defends statement made about fired cop Brian Awa

“They have no place in this organization” - Guam Police Chief Stephen Ignacio saying that when referring to anyone of the force caught dealing drugs. The top brass now briefly addressing his decision to fire one of his own named in a federal drug investigation. The now ex-cop, Brian Awa, was never charged but is fighting for his job back. 

"Brian Awa has appealed his personnel action and so, as you are aware, it’s going through the process. So we will leave that process to move along and just take it from there," noted the chief. He didn't go into too much detail about his decision to fire his former K-9 handler, Awa.

Awa was on a leave of absence since 2017 when his name popped up in a federal investigation alleging he was involved in dealing meth.

He was fired from the force.

Though charges were never handed down against the former cop.

Last December, the chief had Awa investigated then stating, Awa is not indicative of the hard working men and women of GPD,  adding, "He is someone that we need to weed out and get out of our organization.”

"And I stand by that statement that those actions are not reflective of the Guam Police Department. And the people that are involved or alleged to have been involved in drug dealing need to be rooted out the GPD. They have no place in this organization," he said.

Awa called the chief’s public statements premature and inflammatory.

He is fighting his termination before the Civil Service Commission.

Attorney Peter Santos telling KUAM Awa was denied certain employment rights.

"We feel like he was wrongfully terminated and also there are other issues, employment related issues that we feel he was treated unfairly improperly by the government," he said.

A hearing to find out what happens next with his appeal is set for early April.