THE Department of Public Safety will launch an “enhanced” Community Oriented Policing Program to foster a better relationship with members of the community, Gov. Ralph DLG Torres said on Tuesday during the Police Week proclamation signing event on Capital Hill.
DPS plans to be out there in the community and villages, on all three main islands, the governor said.
“We have a plan to have a better relationship with the community — a more intimate way, and a new way of communicating with the residents,” he added.
In a separate interview, DPS Commissioner Robert A. Guerrero said under the plan, “We are going to decentralize, and make the village substations full-fledged substations and we will have more officers and more police vehicles operating out of those substations… and they will be in the villages 24 hours.”
More than a hundred police officers including police cadets and DPS employees attended the proclamation signing ceremony Tuesday on Capital Hill for Police Week, the “Click or Ticket” seat belt campaign, and Boating Safety Week.
Governor Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios proclaimed May 9 to 15 as CNMI Police Week, May 15 as National Peace Officers Memorial Day, May 17 to June 6 as the Click It or Ticket Mobilization period in the CNMI, and May 22-28 as National Safe Boating Week.
Gov. Ralph DLG Torres, Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios and Department of Public Safety Commissioner Robert A. Guerrero pose for a photo with police officers, cadets and other DPS personnel after the proclamation signing for Police Week, the “Click it or Ticket” campaign, and Boating Safety Week at the administration building on Capital Hill, Tuesday.
Photo by Bryan Manabat
