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DPS seeks additional funds for intelligence work
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Posted on Aug 17 2000
The Department of Public Safety has appealed for more funding to cover rising expenses for confidential informants who assist the police and other CNMI agencies in investigative and intelligence work.
In a letter to Rep. Antonio M. Camacho, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee, Public Safety Commissioner Charles Ingram Jr. said the agency spends an average of $5,000 per year for this purpose alone. He even said he has to use his own money to pay confidential informants.
DPS is seeking $50,000 in additional money for the Commissioner’s Office to boost its Criminal Intelligence Section, particularly in its fight to combat the growing international crimes in the Northern Marianas.
With the rise in workload, CIS has hired additional personnel to assist in the operations. CIS handles four units: international crimes, domestic crimes, drug trafficking and crime analysis.
Travel to interview witnesses, victims and suspects to foreign countries as well as establishing working relationship with police organizations between DPS and police organizations entail huge amount of money.
This fiscal year, Mr. Ingram met with heads of various police organizations in Asia to appeal for their assistance and cooperation in solving international crimes committed in island.
Mr. Ingram has expressed concern on the rise of organized crime operations in the CNMI months before the shooting of the 33-year-old Hong Kong Chinese Kim Fai Tse by suspected members of the dreaded Hong Kong Triad.
DPS has appealed to the committee to raise its FY 2001 spending level by $3.6 million which brings to $17.6 million the total appropriation it needs to cope with the increase in police and fire personnel and to replace obsolete equipment.
However, due to the reduction in revenue, the department’s request for additional funding is still uncertain. Mr. Camacho assured DPS that money will be made available as soon as the Legislature finds the resources to combat crimes.
