‘DPS should remain free from political influence, interference’

Acting Department of Public Safety commissioner Anthony Iglecias Macaranas said DPS should remain free from political influence and interference as a paramilitary and law enforcement institution.

“As the only political appointed employee within the department, I prefer to keep it that way,” said Macaranas during a confirmation hearing conducted by the Senate Executive Appointments and Government Investigations Committee Wednesday last week, for his appointment to serve as DPS commissioner.

He said DPS’ relationship with key federal and local law enforcement partners have been estranged sometimes causing serious concerns.

To address this issue, Macaranas said, he has taken steps to meet with key law enforcement officials to assure them of DPS’ commitment in correcting past mistakes and building stronger partnership.

At the public hearing, Macaranas received overwhelming support from some DPS officials, heads of several law enforcement agencies, community members, and politicians.

He said he has reviewed the 2023 transition committee report prepared for the Palacios-Apatang administration, which highlights numerous challenges within the department.

As the new commissioner, Macaranas said, he is dedicated to addressing these issues.

He said the transition committee report highlights several key issues that require immediate attention, such as the lack of basic specialized law enforcement training, unfair personnel reassignment, morale degradation, political coercion, social media outbursts that can compromise investigations, inventory of evidence and vehicles, and lack of proper documentation and disposal process.

Macaranas said other issues noted in the committee report include security fencing at the impound lot, inadequate ammunition for firearms recertification, lack of appropriate standard-issued equipment uniforms and gears, personal overtime abuse, and over practice of staffing distribution within the Criminal Investigation Bureau and in the department in general.

To address these issues, Macaranas said he will implement initiatives immediately following his confirmation.

He said the initiatives include the following:

• Developing and implementing a new organizational structure that maximize efficiency in delivering essential public safety services.

• Issuing and adopting a merit-based policy for all human resource deployment and development aspects.

• Conducting a comprehensive review of all department policies to amend or revise them to address issue of political coercion, personnel reassignment decisions, proper documentation of boating safety activities, and evidence handling, unauthorized social media experiments, overtime abuse, disposal of evidence and impound vehicles, vehicle transfers and survey, and other key findings that impact policy.

• Requiring all procurements of materials and services to undergo competitive selection process as established in the rules and regulations of the Division of Procurement Services.

• Reinstating in-service training with the DPS personnel or employees’ handbook by the department’s legal counsel following a thorough review to regulate behavior and circumstances deem unbecoming or inappropriate.

• Forging partnerships with federal and local law enforcement agencies to maximize outcome in the administration of justice.

• Collaborating with federal and local law enforcement partnership in developing training plans and programs consistent with the Peace Officer Standards and Training post requirement to meet national training standards.

• Working with the chief prosecutor and Attorney General to promptly dispose of impound vehicles and case evidence.

Macaranas said he is committed to DPS’ mission and that he is confident that with exemplary leadership and approach, they can overcome the challenges and obstacles.

In response to Sen. Corina L. Magofna’s (Ind-Saipan) questions, Macaranas said while residing in Texas during his retirement, he kept getting calls and messages from police office officers.

“They’re very adamant in asking me to reconsider and come back home, which I did, I came back home. I just stay low. And just continue to observe what’s the activity in the department is going on,” he said.

Macaranas said a lot of the complaints of officers stem from leadership issues, re-assignment, and the process of how they’ve been investigated by the DPS Internal Affairs that put them in an awkward position.

He said upon hearing this, he decided to see what he can offer when he returned to DPS.

Macaranas said, he was however, taken by Department of Corrections Commissioner Anthony C. Torres at DOC as deputy commissioner.

Macaranas said even in those time he would still interact with the officers about their issues and concerns about the way DPS is run.

He said the issues and concerns include the lack of training and training only given to people that are selected.

Macaranas said when Gov. Arnold I. Palacios appointed him to serve as DPS commissioner, he took a stance that he will come back and do what he can to actually make the department a better place for the officers to work.

He said he would tell the command staff that when they come to the department, they should come with solutions.

“We have enough problems to bring over, so bring over solution so we can effectively move the department forward,” he said.

He underscored the need for officers to wear their uniform so that they can earn respect from the community and so they can also represent the department they’re working for.

He noted the high turnover of police officers that are resigning for greener pastures or because of a family issue.

Macaranas said he is looking forward to get enough full-time employees to hire more and replace the officers that have already left.

He said he is sure there are over 30 officers that left DPS before he stepped into the department last Jan. 30.

Macaranas said the other challenges that he is facing is the REAL ID.

The acting commissioner said it’s only about the financial part that he needs to cover the services before they can resume issuance of REAL ID and also making some corrective measures to expedite it.

He said they have to meet the compliance by 2025.

Macaranas said he has been working hard with the administrative support staff in the Bureau of Motor Vehicle in addressing the financial issue so that they move forward with REAL ID.

Macaranas recently retired as assistant chief of police with over 35 years of experience serving DPS as a police officer. He said throughout his years of service, he has developed a deep understanding of the institution’s culture and norms and employees who dedicate themselves to maintaining law and order.

“Despite the challenges that come with the job, I have always had faith in the institutions integrity and the importance of upholding the rule of law,” the acting commissioner said.

Last Feb. 13, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios nominated Macaranas to serve as DPS commissioner, a position he has been occupying in an acting capacity since Jan. 30, 2024.

The commissioner’s post has been vacant last Jan. 26 after the resignation of Clement Bermudes.

Anthony I. Macaranas