Police in the Northern Marianas are reporting a 30 percent increase in the number of arrests in recent months and say they lack the manpower to cope.
The Department of Public Safety Commissioner, Ray Mafnas, says they have more than ten thousand misdemeanor and felony cases on their books.
But he says with just 13 detectives the department is looking for ways to better manage the workload.
The police chief wants to put together a reserve or community police force trained and able to provide additional support of at least eight hours per month.
