Admin to help DPS on funding problem

Police commissioner Edward Camacho disclosed Friday that the Babauta administration has vowed to help the Department of Public Safety resolve its financial problems, particularly its patrol vehicle concerns.

According to Camacho, the administration also encouraged him to seek the help of the 14th CNMI Legislature so that funding sources could be identified.

“The governor has actually advised the DPS to send all the needed documents that the House of Representatives is asking from us. We would be complying with that and we hope that the Legislature would be able to help us with our problems,” said the DPS commissioner.

Camacho added that the governor had promised him that the administration would find ways to help the DPS, especially since vital programs would be affected if essential services were not provided due to funding problems.

“The governor said he would help us. He told us also to coordinate with the Legislature because they may find ways to help the DPS,” said Camacho.

He added that all documents that were requested by Rep. Jesus Lizama and Rep. Clyde Norita of the House Committee on Judiciary and Governmental Operations would be submitted Friday, the date that the committee ordered DPS to file all necessary documents.

“They will get it. We would provide them everything they need,” said Camacho.

For the first seven months of fiscal year 2004, the Babauta administration had reprogrammed an estimated $765,000 to the police department to help the agency in its various programs.

Among all departments, DPS received the most reprogrammed funds from other departments.. Despite this, the police department still incurred a $905,543 shortfall as of April 30, 2004, based on a report prepared by the Finance Department.

Last week, the JGO committee questioned the police department in its failure to declare a crisis despite mounting concerns hounding the agency, particularly the shortage of patrol cars.

“The committee is very concerned about reports on lack of patrol cars serving the island of Saipan. To be specific, you [Camacho] declared the availability of only four working patrol cars. To further exacerbate the problem, your department has not made any effort to declare a crisis on the obvious lack of resources in responding to the ever increasing emergency calls from Saipan residents,” Lizama said.

Of the items requested, Lizama asked the commissioner to list all DPS purchased vehicles, models, odometer reading, unit assignment, vehicle condition and if the vehicles were purchased with federal funds. Also the committee wants to known to whom the vehicles are assigned.

The committee also asked DPS to provide them the list of repair shops and auto parts stores used by the DPS and all its receivables and liabilities, along with the list of all cellular phones, radio phones that are purchased and leased by the department. To augment the list, Lizama also requested for the copy of all cellular phone billings between February and April 2004, including accounts in local and federal funds.

Lizama said he also wants the list of all DPS personnel promoted or reallocated to a higher class since January 2002, including their present pay levels and effective date of personnel actions.