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Rota public safety officials cite manpower, vehicle and communications shortfalls
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Summary
Rota's Department of Public Safety told the Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee it is understaffed and lacks reliable vehicles, radios and funding for detainee transport and training; officials asked for four all‑terrain vehicles, steady fuel funding and support for communications.
Rota Department of Public Safety Captain Noel M. Kauvo told senators the department is understaffed, stretched thin and missing critical equipment needed for routine patrols and emergency response.
At a Senate Fiscal Affairs Committee budget hearing in Rota, Captain Kauvo read testimony from the department director describing the manpower shortage as the agency's "biggest challenge." Kauvo told the committee the department currently has about 30 active officers and six administrative staff — 36 positions — while the House budget included 47 FTEs for the island's DPS. "The workforce we have is stretched thin, wearing so many different hats in response to the needs of the community," the captain said.
Why it matters: the shortages affect response times, routine patrol presence and long‑term officer safety. Kauvo urged funding for vehicles that can travel remote roads, stable fuel allocations, better communications equipment (the department currently relies on personal cell phones in some zones) and regular training and recertification.
Details presented and questions from senators: - Staffing and hiring: Kauvo said several PO‑1 and PO‑3 positions have been announced or routed with the aim of increasing ranks; some conversions of lower‑rank posts to PO‑3 were in process. - Vehicles: DPS requested four all‑terrain or otherwise reliable vehicles to reach rugged areas; two of the department's four patrol vehicles are currently not serviceable and repairs often require sending vehicles off‑island. - Fuel and operations: Kauvo said monthly fuel allotments are insufficient to maintain proactive patrols; officers sometimes pay for fuel out of pocket to respond to community needs. - Communications and equipment: crews rely on personal mobile phones in zones without reliable service; Kauvo said a pushbutton radio system would shorten emergency response time. - Detainee transport and detention costs: the department lacks a funded, consistent arrangement to transport detainees to Saipan when required; Kauvo asked for clarity on which agency should cover plane tickets, escorts and meals. - Training and certification: Kauvo said firearms recertification and other annual training are required; the department has received some ammunition and training support from Saipan counterparts but lacks a regular training budget.
Direct quote: "Our workforce is our greatest asset. We must ensure the need their needs are met in order to yield the best performance from them," Captain Kauvo said.
No formal appropriation vote occurred during the hearing. Senators discussed drafting a committee provision to specify which central agency (for example, the Department of Corrections) would fund inter‑island detainee transport and suggested the Office of Insular Affairs grant funding as a possible source for law‑enforcement operational needs.
