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Norita: Hiring civilian dispatchers will deploy more cops in the field
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Posted on May 24 2008
Department of Public Safety Commissioner Claudio Norita underscored the importance of hiring five civilian dispatchers in order to relieve officers of that job and focus them on police work.
“Right now we are using cops because there is no civilian dispatcher,” Norita said in an interview with Saipan Tribune.
Dispatchers are the ones who answer 911 emergency calls at DPS.
The commissioner said that, by having civilian dispatchers, the department could have police officers work in the field.
DPS previously had civilian dispatchers who have since quit and never been replaced.
Norita said more police officers are needed to work in the field as the department will experience manpower drain with the eventual deployment of officers and firefighters to the Middle East on July 15, 2008.
DPS is hiring 20 police officers, 16 firefighters, and five dispatchers in preparation for the deployment of its police and fire personnel to the Middle East.
Norita earlier disclosed that Gov. Benigno Fitial had just signed the certification for the hiring of the 41 personnel because of the emergency deployment.
Hopefully by mid-June 2008, DPS can start with the police and firefighters academy and have the graduation in mid-August 2008, Norita said.
He underscored the need to immediately begin the academy as 32 police officers and firefighters are expected to leave.
“That is the reason why they’re authorizing me to hire these cadets so I can cover the vacancies,” the commissioner said.
DPS personnel who have received the Army Reserve’s call to active duty represents nearly 20 percent of the police and fire workforce on Saipan.
