By Cherrie Anne E. Villahermosa
Variety News Staff

THE Department of Public Safety received more than 100 new police uniforms donated by Rep. Cinta M. Kaipat on Friday.
DPS Commissioner Rebecca Warfield said some 124 police officers on Saipan will get a new uniform.
Kaipat, Covenant-Saipan, said the uniforms cost $10,000 which came from her own budget.
She said she heard from the DPS commissioner that the department needed new uniforms.
According to Kaipat, she intended to give the uniforms as a Christmas present to DPS but “it did not materialize in December.”
“I was pushing for this to happen on Christmas but it didn’t work out. I’m still happy that I was able to do a small part — that I was able to help DPS serve the community better,” Kaipat said.
She added, “As a lawmaker, I want to listen and hear what your concerns are, or what your needs are but I don’t want to make a commitment or promises that I can’t deliver on later. I want to make sure that I spend taxpayers’ money properly. I just ask you not to give up — be patient and give me a little time to provide the things that you want. I try to make some wishes come true.”
The uniforms were purchased from the same U.S. company that provides DPS uniforms, Kaipat said.
Warfield thanked Kaipat for allocating funds for DPS.
“It is a privilege to accept these uniforms and it is a privilege to serve our community,” Warfieldsaid.
She said DPS also needs funding for vehicle repairs, pepper mace, batons and guns.
“We actually need new vehicles — however, my commitment has been to try to keep the vehicles that we have running. Vehicles are not a luxury for DPS. When you see an officer in a vehicle, that’s his office. Everything happens from that vehicle,” she said.
Besides additional manpower, DPS also needs computers and other office equipment, the commissioner said.
“I had to get a microwave, refrigerator — things like that. We don’t want our officers to have to worry about anything when they come to work. So that when they go out in public their minds are committed to the better service they are tasked to provide the community,” Warfield said.