Anthony Torres is nominated DOC commissioner

Anthony C. Torres has been nominated as Department of Corrections commissioner under the Palacios-Apatang administration. (KIMBERLY B. ESMORES)

Anthony C. Torres has been nominated as Department of Corrections commissioner under the Palacios-Apatang administration and, although he is still getting the hang of things, he is adamant about making the department as safe as possible for personnel and as well as inmates.

DOC inmates have been complaining about their safety within the CNMI’s sole detention facility, with a handful filing lawsuits and alleging maltreatment. Torres said he aims to address this and put a stop to it while also maintaining transparency for the public.

“Safety and security, providing public safety, and providing a safe and secure environment for our inmates is my No. 1 priority. I am fully committed to prioritizing the safety and security of our officers, staff, and our inmates. I’m also excited to build upon the CNMI’s efforts to prepare those serving their time for success after release,” he said. “I’m well aware of the [many] concerns and I will touch upon all of them and I want to be transparent, as transparent as possible in informing the community. Safety and security are important and I will address whatever concerns are there head on and while doing that, I will hold people accountable, if need be.”

Torres’ nomination will require the consent of the Senate and, while awaiting his confirmation to the post, he will be the DOC chief in an acting capacity.

Torres, who just returned to the islands after serving several years as a correctional officer for the U.S Department of Justice’s Federal Bureau of Prisons, has just started to dip his feet into the rules and protocols that govern the CNMI’s correctional facility and will update the community on the issues within the department and his solutions moving forward.

Torres, who was born on Saipan, 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.

His outstanding performance was recognized by the institution and his efforts earned him a position of increased responsibility as a systems specialist, acting in multiple managerial roles.

In 2015, he was promoted to a treatment specialist in the Challenge Program at the United States Penitentiary Tucson, a high-security federal prison in Arizona.

In 2018, he was assigned to the Federal Correctional Institution Tucson, a medium-security facility designated “drop-out yard” housing former gang members, cartels, law enforcement officers and politicians, as a drug treatment specialist working in the Non-Residential Drug Abuse Program.

Torres participated in many collateral duties and leadership roles to include Arizona Special Operations Response team member, Discipline Hearing officer, Hispanic program manager, and lead self-defense instructor.

The acting DOC commissioner also has an educational background in Criminal Justice from Chaminade University in Honolulo, holds a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and was the first Chamorro to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.