51 cops, firefighters promoted

By FERDIE DE LA TORRE
REPORTER

Department of Public Safety Commissioner Santiago F. Tudela yesterday promoted 51 police officers and firefighters who have already been in service for more than five years.

Gov. Juan N. Babauta graced the ceremony held at the police academy in Susupe. It was the first time in many years that DPS initiated such a massive promotion with accompanying salary increases for the change in ranks.

Babauta and Tudela handed the badges and placed the insignias on the shoulders of the police officers and firefighters.

Elevated were 32 police officers, including Police Officers 1 Jesse James Stole and Jeffrey F. Olopai who are members of the U.S. Army Reserve and are presently deployed in Iraq.

Lt. Pedro Aguon Leon Guerrero is now a captain, while Police Officers 3 Jose P. Saures, Bernard K. Santos, and Joaquin Sn. Camacho became sergeants.

The commissioner promoted 19 firefighters, including Firefighter 3 Thomas Manglona who is now the Emergency Medical Services crew supervisor.

Tudela explained that there are some vacancies for the lieutenant positions, but no one applied for the rank.

He explained that one of the factors as to why nobody likes to be a lieutenant is the lack of overtime for the position.

“When you are sergeants you can still be eligible to avail [yourself] of overtime fees. But if you are a lieutenant, you cannot avail of overtime,” Tudela said.

The police officers, he said, are those who have been in the department for six to eight years and deserve promotions.

Tudela said he had worked for the promotion for more than five months and that he is thankful the governor supported him.

“I am thanking them [officers and firefighters] for their dedication and hard work in helping the community safe,” he said.

Tudela stated that when he was appointed commissioner in November 2004, he immediately talked to the governor and underscored to him the need to promote personnel.

“They worked a 12-hour shift, yet they don’t complain. As commissioner I want to give back to them to show my appreciation,” he said, adding that their duties are difficult as compared to those from other agencies.

“We have to be professionals all the time…keep working on high standards. I want them to act professionally and be friendly to the community,” he said.

Tudela noted that some of these firefighters did not even get promotion over the past 10 years.

Tudela said the promotion would boost the morale of the DPS personnel, which was one of his priorities when he was tapped to run the department.

The promotion was a long process and difficult because he had to justify it considering its financial impact, he stressed.

In 1990, then DPS Director Gregorio Camacho promoted everybody, including firefighters. A couple of years ago, then commissioner Edward Camacho promoted 57 personnel, but without the accompanying salary increases due to lack of funding.