Acting Department of Public Safety Commissioner Anthony Macaranas listens to a reporter during a press conference on Friday.
PROVIDING hazard pay to police officers is one of the top priorities of acting Department of Public Safety Commissioner Anthony Macaranas.
“The police officers’ role in the community is very critical — they face and confront different kinds of scenarios [every day] out there. If other agencies can [receive] hazardous pay…I need to find ways to have that included in the police officers’ salary,” Macaranas told reporters.
He noted that CNMI police officers are among the lowest paid in the nation.
“But because our police officers are committed to the job, they continue to show their efforts by continuing to come to work. As the leader of the police department, I also need to fight for them, to incentivize and make their salary attractive…entice them so that I can continue to retain good people,” Macaranas said.
He also plans to increase police presence in schools and the community.
Tapping into a federal grant may provide DPS with needed resources, he said.
“I am in communication with the commissioner of education to have that collaboration for more police presence in the schools,” he said. “All schools, private and public, are important,” Macaranas said.
Police presence on campuses will deter individuals from disrupting classes, he added.
Macaranas wants the community to know that “DPS presence is very active.”
“I am assuring the community that police officers are out there to serve and protect and continue to be problem solvers,” he added.
Manpower remains an issue, Macaranas said. “But despite this and other issues, we were able to manage our overtime, and still able to sustain and cover the police services needed by the community.”
Due to funding issues, Macaranas said he has not decided to go forward with a police academy.
He said DPS has already submitted its proposed FY 2025 budget and is exploring alternative funding sources to hire additional police officers.
“I did include in the budget for next year funding to hire more people,” he added.
The department’s FY 2024 budget is $6.5 million.
Macaranas said he is anticipating more challenges but is also grateful to Gov. Arnold Palacios and Lt. Gov David Apatang for nominating him to be the next DPS chief.
Macaranas retired as assistant chief of police in 2022 after serving DPS for 35 years. He is currently serving as acting commissioner on a pro bono basis.
If confirmed by the Senate, he will succeed former DPS Commissioner Clement Bermudes, who was “instructed” to resign by the governor in Jan. 2024.
