Cop arrested for allegedly pointing gun at suspect

Department of Public Safety officer Troy Anthony Taman Manahane was arrested yesterday morning and charged with assault with a dangerous weapon and disturbing the peace.

The charges stem from allegations that on Jan. 21, 2024, Manahane, 28, reportedly pointed and used his government-issued firearm to assault a person identified as a suspect in a domestic incident reported in Susupe.

Superior Court Associate Judge Kenneth Govendo issued a $10,000 cash bail in the arrest warrant for Manahane, and in the hearing yesterday presided over by Associate Judge Joseph N. Camacho, the prosecution requested the bail be maintained.

Manahane is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 16 at 10am and an arraignment on Oct. 21 at 9am. He was remanded back into the custody of the Department of Corrections.

It was also ruled that the Public Defender’s Office will not represent Manahane due to conflict as he was an active police officer and possibly involved with them on several pending cases. Camacho issued private attorney in the bar, Cong Nie, to represent Manahane. Assistant attorney general Frances Demapan will represent the CNMI.

According to court files, on Jan. 24, 2024, police reported a matter regarding a fellow officer and an incident during the morning of Jan. 21, 2024. An officer shared that while responding to a structure fire call, a man flagged him down near Joeten Susupe and made serious allegations against two police officers, claiming he was threatened with a gun. The man described the officers as tall and slim, later identified as Keanu Hosono, and the other short and stocky, later identified as Manahane, through a radio log sheet.

On Jan. 24, 2024, at 12:54pm, police sergeant Juan Wabol and another officer arrived at CJ’s Apartment where they met with the man. According to the man, he had a verbal dispute with his girlfriend. He said he did not want their argument to escalate to the point where law enforcement was required. He said he chose to leave the apartment temporarily until his girlfriend had calmed down. Throughout information gathering, the man was invited to the PRO office for an interview. He recounted being outside Summer Snow’s apartment when he saw a police car rushing and pulling up to the parking lot. He ran to the second floor to evade the officers and jumped out of a window, but was soon apprehended by Hosono, who instructed him to sit and asked if he remembered his partner, which the man denied having a partner to the officers. He said Manahane approached him; and instructed that he discard a pen he was holding and was told to get in the back seat of a marked police car. The man stated that he was sitting behind the passenger seat, Manahane was seated behind the driver seat, and Hosono was in the driver seat when he saw Manahane unbuckling his police belt and brandishing a gun.

The man described how Manahane braced on his left knee and pointed a gun at him. Manahane asked the man, “What would you do if my partner shot you?” The man repeatedly urged Manahane three times to put the gun away, and although expecting to be arrested for domestic issues, he was instead dropped off at his apartment.

The man said he decided to file a complaint against Manahane and Hosono. While walking to DPS Central, the man flagged police officer Wally Emul down and reported the incident. Emul directed him to continue to DPS Central as he responded to a structure fire call. The complaint has been classified as an assault with a dangerous weapon and disturbing the peace, and has been logged in as DPS Case Number 24-0005000

Govendo yesterday issued the arrest warrant which police officers executed just two hours later.

Following the arrest, DPS issued a statement to the press which said, “The arrest of one of our own officers is a sobering reminder that police officers must always uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability. As law enforcement officers, we take an oath to protect and serve our communities with respect, fairness, and compassion. When one of our own fails meet these standards, it undermines the trust that is essential to dos our jobs effectively.”

DPS Commissioner Anthony Macaranas also shared to the media that, “DPS would like to assure the public that we take allegations of police misconduct extremely seriously. We will ensure that due process and justice for everyone involved, including officer Manahane, is served. We recognize that an arrest of an officer may be portrayed as a betrayal of the trust that our communities have placed in us. This type of allegations is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in our department.”

DPS assistant chief of police and acting public information officer Simon T. Manacop shared that up to the arrest, Manahane was placed on administrative duty. But now with criminal charges filed, he will most likely will be placed on leave pending the outcome of his case. Manahane had been with DPS for six years.