HAGÅTÑA (The Guam Daily Post) — Sen. Chris Duenas seeks to address the drug and crime epidemic by establishing a Multi Agency Unified Law Enforcement Group, to be known as MAULEG.
“It is the mission of MAULEG to include the supervision, detection and disruption of narcotic and illicit drug activity through vigilance, interagency collaboration and public awareness initiatives to further support law enforcement duties to bring justice for all Guamanians,” Duenas wrote in Bill 250-37, which was introduced Monday afternoon.
In a press release sent before the introduction of Bill 250, Duenas said the “groundbreaking bill” seeks to bridge the gap between the increase in violent and drug-related crimes and the lack of law enforcement power.
If Bill 250 passes, MAULEG will activate peace officers from other agencies to assist the Guam Police Department with assignments if the number of available police officers falls below 70%.
Peace officers from the Guam International Airport Authority, Port Authority of Guam, Department of Agriculture and Department of Parks and Recreation will be assigned to assist until they are no longer needed, Bill 250 states.
“It will bring together top-level agencies that will augment the lack of community policing with minimum manpower,” Duenas said in the release.
Other agencies that Duenas hopes will be involved with MAULEG’s mission to “disrupt the importation, sale and distribution of narcotics on Guam” include the Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission, Mariana Regional Fusion Center, Guam Customs and Quarantine Agency, Department of Corrections, Department of Youth Affairs, Guam Homeland Security, Department of Revenue and Taxation, Department of Public Health and Social Services, Guam Behavioral Health and Wellness Center, Guam Visitors Bureau and the Mayors’ Council of Guam.
Additionally, Bill 250 encourages members of the community to be involved with MAULEG and if the measure is passed, suitable individuals could be deemed “deputized civilians” to further assist GPD.
“The drug epidemic has stripped our community’s sense of public safety. MAULEG will reclaim the confidence and trust that our people had, while maintaining transparency within government,” Duenas stated in the release.
