To DOC personnel using drugs: You need to stop now

In his first week with the Department of Corrections, acting commissioner Anthony Cabrera Torres told all personnel to stop now if they’re into illegal drugs. On his second week, he did a surprise inspection using trained dogs from the CNMI Division of Customs Biosecurity and they found contraband.

Torres disclosed yesterday the seizure of contraband during the Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee’s confirmation for his appointment, during which he received broad support from many DOC officials and others.

At the conclusion of the confirmation hearing, EAGI Committee chair Sen. Celina R. Babauta (D-Saipan) said the committee has determined that Torres meets the expectations and qualifications of a DOC commissioner and that they will recommend his confirmation to the full Senate.

Torres mentioned the issue of drug addiction in response to Babauta’s question during the hearing about serious problems he has identified at DOC.

He noted that on his first week he met with his upper management, during which he laid out his expectations, and to everybody else as well during their briefings with the line staff.

Acting Department of Corrections commissioner Anthony Cabrera Torres gets a tap on his shoulder from special assistant for the administration Oscar M. Babauta as Sen. Paul A. Manglona (Ind-Rota) looks on, after the conclusion of the Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee’s confirmation hearing yesterday morning for Torres’ appointment as DOC commissioner. (FERDIE DE LA TORRE)

“Part of messages that I put out [is] if you know you’re not supposed to be doing it, you need to stop now. Because if you get pulled up, I will hold you accountable,” Torres said.

He said he encouraged those who are struggling with addiction of some sort to reach out to him and that he will address the matter confidentially and will try to get them some treatment.

“But if you wait until after two or three weeks and you get randomly selected and you got positive, I will hold you accountable,” said Torres, adding that his leadership style is firm, fair, and consistent.

Torres said that on his second week with DOC, he met with the CNMI Customs and Biosecurity director J.J. Atalig, and requested them to bring the K-9 dogs down to DOC. He said he did not tell any DOC staff about his plan.

Torres said that gave him an opportunity to do a full sweep and gave him an idea of what he’s dealing with.

“And I plan to do that more and more…until…we can get the facility to where it should be,” he said.

Torres did not provide more details about the contraband that were seized.

Torres vowed that if the Senate confirms him, he will discharge the responsibilities of this job to the very best of his ability. “I love the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and I love our people,” he said.

He said he will increase employee retention and improve inmate quality of life.

Former lawmaker and former Department of Public Safety and Fire Department commissioner Claudio K. Norita, who was among the many people who testified in support of Torres’ nomination, said, “Tony’s arrival is a blessing for the Commonwealth.”

Torres began his law enforcement career in 1999 as an adult correctional officer for the Department of Public Safety at Halawa Prison in Honolulu, Hawaii. In 2002, Torres advanced his career as a correctional officer for the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Detention Center Honolulu. In 2015, he was promoted to treatment specialist in the Challenge Program at the U.S. Penitentiary Tucson, a high-security federal prison in Arizona. In 2018, Torres was assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution Tucson, as a drug treatment specialist working in the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program.

He has an educational background in Criminal Justice from Chaminade University in Honolulu. Holding a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, he was the first Chamorro to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Former lawmaker Stanley Torres, who is the father of the appointee, was present, along with other family members, at the hearing.