Saipan Mayor’s Office to host town hall meeting to address crime concerns

The Saipan Mayor’s Office is set to host its inaugural town hall meeting on Dec. 4, offering residents a platform to voice concerns and propose solutions to combat the rising crime rates in the community.

The event, scheduled to take place from 6pm to 8pm at the William S. Reyes Middle School main hall cafeteria, invites residents of Precinct 2 to engage directly with Saipan Mayor Ramon “RB” Blas Camacho and other officials and hopefully foster community dialogue and collaboration to enhance safety across Saipan’s villages.

Benjamin F. Maratita, public relations specialist for the Saipan Mayor’s Office, told the media that the goal is to create a safe and secure environment for everyone and that town hall is an opportunity for residents to share their experiences, voice concerns, and offer constructive ideas on how everyone can work together to address crime in our neighborhoods.

The Saipan Mayor’s Office encourages community members to spread the word about the town hall, emphasizing the importance of collective effort in tackling safety challenges.

This meeting is part of a broader initiative to prioritize public safety and community well-being. The Saipan Mayor’s Office expressed hope that the feedback and ideas generated will shape future policies and programs aimed at reducing crime and improving residents’ quality of life.

In an interview with Camacho, he shared that after speaking to community members about the recent crimes being committed in villages, he arranged meeting with Department of Public Safety Commissioner Anthony Macaranas and Attorney General Edward Manibusan.

“I talked to them about the information that I gathered in the community. We need action.”

As someone with law enforcement experience, Camacho said that when community members shared that they felt like they needed to resort to violence in order to protect themselves, he was concerned.

“The main thing is burglary is increasing rapidly. There’s a victim where a motorcycle or dirt bike has been stolen and other stuff and big items. I don’t want to say anything bad about law enforcement, but they have questioned the community, the victim of the crime. So, that’s why I called that meeting with the commissioner and share with the commissioner the frustration of the victims of a crime.”

Camacho said that he has plans to revive the neighborhood watch program beginning in Chalan Kanoa.

“It was in Chalan Kanoa where I met a lot of law-abiding citizens sharing their frustration. It is an island-wide [issue], but we’re going to tackle it first in Chalan Kanoa.”

For more information, residents are urged to contact the Saipan Mayor’s Office and make their voices heard at this important event.

Ramon “RB” B. Camacho