DPS seeking public’s and business community’s help

The CNMI Department of Public Safety is doing everything within the limits of its available resources, assets, and wealth, to increase its presence in our community and deter crime. Day in and day out, DPS is responding to increasing number of complaints and requests for police assistance as promptly as possible, 24/7. Patrols are dispatched to tourist sites to conduct periodic checks daily and consistently within reason.

DPS understands our community’s concerns and anguish. We all want the best and quickest solutions and actions. However, our criminal justice system requires observation and respect for established civil and criminal law procedures, rights and restrictions governing a multitude of processes to protect both victims and offenders. DPS has to temper and strike a balance when releasing information, and for that matter, better judgment dictates not to release significant information on cases still under investigation, including cases that have been completely investigated, filed, and prepared for trial. This procedural consideration is necessary to prevent perpetrators/offenders; those officially facing criminal charges and criminals-on-the-loose alike from receiving information and gaining advantage to elude detection, avoid arrest, weaken prosecution, or create improved schemes to commit more crimes.

In most instances, DPS remaining completely or near silent by only issuing carefully selected information to the public through the media—just enough to solicit useful information and facilitate investigative process—also protects the integrity and strength of the case by keeping it intact in order to ensure highest rate of success in prosecution and adjudication.

DPS is listening and painstakingly addressing our community’s outcries, demands and expectations to deter all forms of criminal acts as well as apprehend criminals. Police officers too, and their loved ones, live in the same community and share similar hopes and desires to enjoy a peaceful and crime-free society.

“We have assessed our assets and understood how much wealth we possess. We are indeed poor. Also, we have identified our objectives and prioritized those objectives based on our wealth and assets,” stated Commissioner Ramon Mafnas. “Now DPS is refining its organizational structure and is in the midst of finalizing personnel assignments most suitable to carry out objectives based on our assets: human resources, physical resources, and fiscal resources. Such adjustments and refinement processes must continue until fine-tuning is optimized and aligned with assets and objectives by priority.”

It is the department’s goals and objectives to improve and promote professional standards, performance, efficiency, and subsequently, image. DPS can achieve these goals and objectives by taking into consideration the establishment of the following management components to ensure that the men and women of the department receive adequate preparation, guidance, supervision, direction, support, assistance, and attention to meet their ever-growing challenges: care, discipline, training, and treatment. Each of these components is intended to develop, empower, nurture, and improve the quality of human resources in order to be adequately prepared to accomplish tasks essential to the mission, duties, and responsibilities of the Department of Public Safety.

In the meantime, DPS continues to seek assistance to acquire additional patrol cars, hire highly-qualified personnel, increase training, and improve the delivery and quality of police services. These efforts, along with policy review, policy refinement and implementation, will go a long way in improving DPS’ professional standards, performance, efficiency, and image.

“The safety and security of our community is everyone’s business, duty and responsibility. The Department of Public Safety respectfully requests members of our community for assistance in promptly providing information leading to the arrest and conviction of persons responsible for reported and unreported crimes,” said Mafnas. “As we build and strengthen our public relations tripod—the Community, Police, and Program—we hope to carve and develop an excellent and permanent community-based partnership, also known as community-based partnering, for the benefit of all CNMI residents and visitors alike to enjoy a safer and more peaceful Commonwealth.” [I](Office of the Governor)[/I]