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DPS chief: Priority is restoring all basic operational capabilities
Police lack power and water access
The Department of Public Safety is currently working to address challenges related to damage to several of its infrastructure and the lack of basic utility services such as power and water access to the department, according to DPS Commissioner James Deleon Guerrero yesterday.
Deleon Guerrero told Saipan Tribune that recovery operations aside, his priority as DPS commissioner is to restore all basic operational capabilities of the department.
He said any and all efforts pertaining to the typhoon recovery operation by the CNMI government, inclusive of DPS, should be directed to the Joint Information Center.
The commissioner said a substantial amount of DPS resources, as in the case with other Commonwealth agencies, have been integrated into the Incident Command System as established under the Unified Command Structure of the CNMI Emergency Operations Center.
Deleon Guerrero said the emergency and disaster declarations by acting governor Ralph DLG. Torres and President Obama are welcome news for the public safety community as this will now allow for a joint federal and state response to address critical services and infrastructure challenges as well as public assistance needs of the community.
He said DPS’ top priority is to continue to maintain public safety and security at its current heightened and increased level for as long as is required.
“I thank the men and women of our department, our Commonwealth Utilities Corp., Public Works and Parks and Recreation crews, other state law enforcement and public safety partners, the American Red Cross, public shelter staff and volunteers, the Government of Guam, the Federal Emergency Management Agency and our U.S. Armed Services for all their hard work and sacrifices,” the commissioner said.
Deleon Guerrero said many of them have not taken a day off since this crisis began.
He said he has faith in the resiliency of the people of the CNMI to get through this as with other challenges in the past.
