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Resolution to create 100 new FTE’s for DPS
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Posted on Jul 20 2004
Senate President Joaquin Adriano said he would introduce today a joint resolution creating 100 new full-time positions within the Department of Public Safety to address the agency’s manpower shortage.
Adriano vowed to expeditiously address the manpower shortage as soon as the Senate resumes session today, after meeting with DPS commissioner Edward Camacho several days ago.
In the draft joint resolution, Adriano said the additional 100 FTE’s should cover the shortage on the three islands—Saipan, Tinian and Rota.
The measure seeks to authorize the governor to reprogram funds “limited to funding the salary and training requirements of personnel hired to fill the new positions.”
According to the measure, the DPS commissioner should be authorized to allocate the new positions within the three islands as he deems necessary.
If adopted, the joint resolution will increase the current 371 ceiling for FTE’s on Saipan, 56 for Tinian, and 59 for Rota.
Adriano recognized that the manpower shortage has been hampering the department’s services and law enforcement functions for some time now.
He said the shortage has been exacerbated by the recent call to active duty of Saipan’s Army Reserve unit, of which 30 are full-time DPS personnel.
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.
Senate minority leader Pete Reyes earlier said he would support a measure that would address manpower shortage at the DPS. Adriano said the resolution would be immediately transmitted to the House of Representatives once the Senate adopts it.
