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Norita may back reprogramming for DPS hiring
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Posted on Jul 17 2004
Despite an ongoing investigation on the Department of Public Safety’s fund spending, House Rep. Claudio Norita on Friday expressed support for calls to hire additional policemen amid a manpower shortage at the department.
Norita, the vice chair for the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations, has been gathering documents to review DPS’ fund spending.
House leadership spokesman Charles Reyes Jr. earlier said Norita would make a determination whether or not to support possibly authorizing the governor to reprogram funds for the emergency hiring of personnel once he completes his probe on the department’s spending.
Senate President Joaquin Adriano earlier said he would introduce a joint resolution that might authorize funds reprogramming if the DPS’ current budget falls short in the hiring of some 80 to 100 personnel to fill in vacant positions. Adriano said he would introduce the measure as soon as the Senate convenes for a session on Wednesday next week.
Norita said he would look into the resolution that Adriano would submit for approval by the Senate when it reaches the Lower House, saying he would support it if the terms contained are feasible.
“The Legislature is able and willing to help DPS in ensuring that public safety is not hampered,” said Norita, a former police major.
DPS commissioner Edward Camacho earlier sought the Legislature’s help to address the manpower shortage at his department, made worse by the departure of some 30 policemen and firefighters for the Army Reserve’s training in Hawaii.
The deployment, which left the department with 115 policemen and 71 firefighters on Saipan, came about amid the Pentagon’s call for reservists to augment U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
