Basic Police Science 101 for DPS

I certainly am not an expert in the field of law enforcement but I can offer some simple tried-and-true techniques.

Traffic enforcement. This is totally nonexistent on island. Traffic officers should be proficient in this area as it is their major responsibility. I see them in parades, but have yet to see one writing a ticket. I see officers in their patrol vehicles aiming a radar gun at passing traffic, but again, no tickets. Position yourself anywhere on Middle Road or Beach Road and watch the speeders. I would invite anyone to sit at any traffic signal and watch the number of vehicles running the red light. It is a proven fact in traffic enforcement that when tickets go up, accidents go down.

Copper wire theft. I read about this all the time but never hear of the suspects being arrested. This is absurd. How many places on island buy copper wire? I believe mostly everyone now owns a cell phone or a digital camera, capable of taking pictures. Would it be difficult to require the owners of the salvage yards to photograph the sellers of copper wire?

Burglaries. Most items taken in the many burglaries end up in the pawnshops. To wit: TVs, stereos, computers, laptops, watches, jewelry, etc. Again, is it so difficult to require the owners to photograph the sellers?

Homicides. How many unsolved murders are in the police files? Saipan is the perfect venue for the television series Unsolved Mysteries. I question the DPS in their handling of emergency calls. For example, the recent brutal murder of Emerita Romero. The 911dispatcher received a call at approximately 3am with the female voice saying, ‘Marianas Resort.” This should be basic police emergency procedure. Available patrol units are dispatched to the area. There is but one road to this location and how many vehicles are on this road? The officers should stop all vehicles and ID the occupants. Perhaps one of these persons is a pastry chef on the way to work in the morning shift. A simple explanation that DPS received an emergency call to the area and, “Thank you for your understandings” would suffice. The murder probably would not have been prevented but DPS would have the ID of persons in the vicinity.

Commissioner Mafanas is constantly saying that DPS is understaffed. Mr. Mafnas, what is your minimal staff doing? Not too much is visible. This is a small island and the crime rate should be relatively low. It is not! DPS must stop its familial rationalization and start arresting, brothers, cousins, and uncles.

Saipan is beautiful and we should not continually live in fear. DPS, please perform the duties you are being paid to do.