By Emmanuel T. Erediano
[email protected]
Variety News Staff
THE CNMI will host this year’s Pacific Islands Chiefs of Police annual conference at Saipan’s Crowne Plaza Resort from Aug. 24 to 28, 2026.
The PICP Secretariat’s acting executive director, Kelly Ryan, and Executive Coordinator Julian Bianco are on Saipan to prepare for the event. They paid a courtesy visit to Gov. David M. Apatang on Thursday, accompanied by the current PICP chairman, Department of Public Safety Commissioner Anthony I. Macaranas. The deputy chair is Commissioner Kalshem Bongran of Vanuatu.
Aside from the CNMI, 21 other Pacific island nations and jurisdictions are members of the PICP.
In an interview, Ryan said the annual conference brings together the chiefs of police from all 22 member nations and jurisdictions to discuss “key developments” across “Our Blue Pacific.”
She said the PICP Secretariat is focusing on several issues, including challenges in recruiting police officers and addressing transnational crimes such as drug trafficking.
Ryan added that bringing together all the chiefs of police and other members of each delegation face-to-face is incredibly important.
“It’s an opportunity to spend time together to strengthen partnerships, work collaboratively, and achieve our objective of uniting Pacific leadership to build highly capable policing and make ‘Our Blue Pacific safer together,’ ” she said.
Emmanuel “Arnold” Erediano has a bachelor of science degree in Journalism. He started his career as police beat reporter. Loves to cook. Eats death threats for breakfast.
