“Effective today, the island’s only target training range in Marpi will have to be temporarily closed for approximately 30 days because there are deficiencies that needs to be worked on for the facility to come up to safety standards,” Range Master Ambrose T. Ogumoro told the Variety yesterday.
“My priority now is to try and save our government from spending thousands of dollars by meeting with the CNMI training coordinator to consolidate all firearms training to be conducted by the Department of Public Safety,” Ogumoro said. He added that he is also extending the same training opportunity for Tinian and Rota.
“I will be meeting with the directors of the two islands later to assist them in the construction of their firearms training facility,” he said.
Ogumoro said there was no inspection conducted at the two existing shooting galleries on Saipan.
“This is only one of the few deficiencies that need to be corrected, and I will be working closely with firearms instructor Dave Hosono,” he added.
Since he was re-instated to his post on Oct. 6, 2008, Ogumoro said he has already started with the inventory of all DPS-issued firearms to ensure accountability.
He said he has also recalled all the firearms issued by DPS to other agencies.
“The physical inventory will allow accurate accountability to DPS, and to allow me to assess the memorandum of agreement with these agencies,” he added.
“I am grateful for my reinstatement as the CNMI range master, and I would like to extend my appreciation to Police Officers Dave Hosono and Jason Tarkong and the other officers who took care of the firearm training facility for the past two years,” Ogumoro said.
