This brings the total of police officers to 24, including the nine who filed their rejoinder last month and DPS Police Sgt. Thomas Blas Jr., who was the first to join the lawsuit.
The police officers are asking the Superior Court to recognize their joinder in the relief requested by Leon Guerrero, including a formal desk audit and corrective measures to ensure fair treatment and compliance with the personnel rules and regulations for civil service employees within DPS.
The second group of police officers included Sgt. Augustine Kaneshi, Sgt. Vicente H. Sablan, Police Officer 2 Marvin S. Camacho, PO3 Juan Mendiola, PO2 Mary Lou Tanaka, PO2 Michael Camacho, PO2 Raymond Pangelinan, PO2 Jesse Seman, PO2 Daniel Quitugua, PO2 Catherine Pangelinan, PO2 Roque Camacho, PO2 Eric F. David, PO2 Jesus Cepeda and PO2 Jason Tarkong.
The nine police officers who filed their rejoinder to the formal grievance on May 19 were Police Sgt. Anthony Macaranas, Sgt. Joaquin Camacho, Sgt. Elden C. Dela Cruz, PO3 Frank Pangelinan, PO3 Sandy Hambros, PO3 Jesse Concepcion, PO3 Josepha Guerrero, PO2 James Rabauliman, and PO2 Norbert Mettao.
Sgt. Dela Cruz is off-island on deployment but joined the suit through his attorney-in-fact. PO2 Jackson Jack was included on the list of joiners but he backed out later.
Early last month, DPS communication and technology section officer-in-charge Police Sgt. James C. Deleon Guerrero, through his lawyer Robert Torres, asked the court to issue an order to the DPS through Commissioner Santiago F. Tudela to end discriminatory practices in the department.
Guerrero asked the court to compel DPS to be in compliance with the CNMI Personnel Services System Rules and Regulations and competitive selection process as well as compliance with the salary/merit promotions; direct a DPS-wide desk audit of all civil service employees to evaluate and assess their duties, responsibilities, rank and qualification, within-grade increase eligibility and status, salary status and promotion eligibility.
Guerrero further asked the court to order to end discriminatory practices and disparate treatment within DPS particularly between officers of equal rank and experiences as to hiring, selection, salary increases, and promotion and to direct compliance with such benefits based on merits.
Guerrero said his grievance is well-founded and requires corrective action by DPS, by the Office or Personnel Management and the Civil Service Commission.
He said DPS ignored the grievance he filed twice in 2007.
