4 Aug 2009

Police in CNMI under investigation over traffic notices

12:00 pm on 4 August 2009

The police in the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas are being investigated over failing to report traffic notices.

In one particular week, at least 20 traffic citations were issued but only six or seven were reported.

Governor Benigno Fitial said he instructed the Public Safety Commissioner, Santiago Tudela, not to tolerate any abuse of position by police.

The latest investigation comes after the arrest of a police officer allegedly involved in a burglary and the use of a police patrol car as a getaway vehicle.

A spokesperson for the Governor, Charles Reyes, said the service has been cleaning up its ranks, citing the arrest last year of a police sergeant involved in an insurance scam.

The officer involved was forging traffic crash reports and then getting a percentage of the payout from insurance firms.