DPS chief eyes more cops up north, active enforcement of speed limit

Department of Public Safety Commissioner James C. Deleon Guerrero disclosed yesterday that they will be deploying more police officers to the north side of the island that are frequented by tourists where they will also be actively enforcing the speed limit law to stop these reported incidents of rocks being thrown at buses and other vehicles transporting tourists.

Deleon Guerrero said there have been reports about rocks being thrown at buses that are travelling particularly in Tanapag or in the north side of the island on their way to tourist spots.

“We are going to investigate these incidents,” he promised. “Clearly, we do not condone any rock throwing against any tourist buses regardless of the type of activity they’re engaged in.”

Deleon Guerrero, however, pointed out that the community as well as the drivers of these buses must show responsible conduct.

He said he has learned that a lot of these buses have also been speeding.

“The tour operators also have to be mindful that [speeding buses] also present significant highway safety risks to oncoming pedestrians as well as other motorists within that area,” he said.

The commissioner said the way this will all work for the community as well as the tour operators is for both sides to abide by the law.

He said this means people should report to the police anyone involved in these rock throwing incidents.

Tour operators, in turn, Deleon Guerrero said, should drive responsibly on the highway and not speed so they will not pose safety risks to pedestrians and other motorists.

“I would like to warn operators of buses and other tour vehicles to be mindful that we are going to be actively enforcing the traffic laws,” he said.

In the event that these speeding continue, Deleon Guerrero said buses or other tour vehicles will be subject to impoundment.

“The same applies to members of the community who are throwing rocks. If they are caught, they will be subject to arrest and potential prosecution,” he said.

“We do not want anybody to get injured. We do not want anybody to get hurt as a result of these incidents,” Deleon Guerrero said.

The commissioner said they had previously deployed officers in the Tanapag area or north side of the island and the rock throwing incidents stopped.

“Unfortunately, we can’t be there all the time just for monitoring the speed,” he said.

He concedes that these incidents do present a bad image for the CNMI.

“We don’t want this to continue because it causes a stain on our tourism industry,” he said.

DPS acting police director Pete Leon Guerrero for his part said they will be strictly enforcing laser speed detection in those areas.

Leon Guerrero said some members of the community are fed up with buses traveling at high speed going north and south of the island.

He said there is a potential threat that buses might hit pedestrians or run out of control due to speeding.