Previous Story
Downsizing of Koban worries MVA
|
Posted on Nov 12 1999
Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Perry Tenorio has expressed concern over the downsizing of the police station in the tourist district of Garapan by the Department of Public Safety.
While he recognized that the financial problems besetting DPS have forced the department to freeze the hiring of additional manpower, Tenorio said ensuring the security of island visitors should be not be overlooked.
Tenorio said he was surprised to learn that the Koban in Garapan is no longer manned by police officers regularly. He said he was not informed when DPS scaled down the police station seven months ago.
Due to severe manpower problem, DPS dropped the Koban area in mid-April when a boatload of illegal Chinese immigrants arrived on Tinian. The police agency had to send 30 of its officers in the island municipality to provide security.
Since DPS finds it difficult to assign cops in the Garapan station during weekdays, its patrol teams have been asked to regularly check the tourist district. The responsibility of looking after the Koban has been assumed by the Boating Safety section, which sends two to three police officers in the evening from 6:00 p.m. until the establishments close at around 2:00 a.m.
The MVA chief will seek a meeting with DPS Commissioner Charles Ingram to discuss ways on how to maintain the presence of police officers in the tourist district.
According to Major Clyde Norita, DPS assistant chief of the Office for Special Services, police officers have been asked to work 16 hours a day due to severe manpower problem.
In some occasions, when the Boating Safety has to attend to its primary duty, it cannot even send its own men to go on duty in the Koban. Boating Safety Commander Edward A. Cepeda is also having difficulty stretching its manpower assigned in the division, which is staffed only with seven police officers.
With the rapid population growth brought about by the entry of nonresident workers, the demand for public safety service increased. Unfortunately, the number of policemen was not augmented to respond to the need of the community.
