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‘DPS men and women neglected for so long’
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Posted on Nov 10 2006
The Department of Public Safety’s men and women have been neglected for so long, according to DPS commissioner Rebecca Warfield.
Warfield disclosed that some of the police officers haven’t had training since their academy.
“For some, that’s 20 years. For some people, that’s eight years. So that’s a tremendous challenge as well,” said the commissioner during Wednesday’s meeting of the Saipan Chamber of Commerce.
Instead of paying $10,000 to send one person for off-island training, DPS can conduct training in the Commonwealth, she said.
“We are cash-strapped. I’m sure your businesses are suffering just like the government coffers are suffering, just like DPS is suffering. But it is a matter of maximizing resources,” Warfield pointed out.
With respect to training, there are resources available on the island, she said.
The commissioner said if there are people who have specialized skills in the department they can conduct training.
“Once we make that kind of investment—a $10,000 investment in an individual to go off-island for training—they need to bring that back to the department. And they need to have an opportunity to let the rest of the men and women know what they know,” she said.
Warfield said DPS now conducts different trainings every month.
“One month was domestic violence. The next training was officer’s survival, because sometimes our officers panic out there. Sometimes they get hurt, they’re always in dangerour situations,” she said.
Even though officers can anticipate what someone might do, Warfield said, they need to feel confident in their responses to those individuals.
DPS will also conduct ethics and dignity training next week.
She underscored the importance of such ethics and dignity training considering that there is an issue of self-esteem within the department.
“They know how people look down on them,” she said.
Warfield, however, said she believes that DPS personnel should be treated like professionals if people want them to behave like professionals.
She said there will also anger management training and drug awareness.
“Literally ever month, we’re working to better ourselves so that we can provide a better service to you,” the commissioner added.
