by Nick Delgado

Guam - At a time when healing was supposed to begin, another controversy emerges at the Guam Police Department, this time involving two high-ranking officers.

"I will not be baited or coerced into a fight with another captain regardless if the complaints are groundless and baseless," strongly stated GPD Captain Mark Charfauros. He's not taking things lightly when it comes to the poor mismanagement he felt the department has suffered from recently, and it's why he feels others are trying to personally attack him. Charfauros confirms that a harassment complaint was filed against him last night by Captain Kim Santos, the former head of the Criminal Investigation Division.

Charfauros says the issue stems from the search warrant that was executed at the KUAM Studios in Harmon two weeks ago, and the investigation into who leaked a document to KUAM News that was used in a story regarding a police officer trainee that did not pass his polygraph examination.

"I officially submitted a memo to then-chief [Paul] Suba basically stating to the fact that this investigation against me and key ranking members of the department is nothing more than a witch hunt," he explained. "I took a position sternly that I was not involved and you are from KUAM and you can attest to the fact that I had nothing to do with this. The investigation continued to move forward and what I told her operation chief [Lieutenant Joe Carbullido] that 'If you guys want to do this to me then bring it on'. I will not falter, I will not be afraid and there is nothing for me to hide, so bring it on."

Charfauros says Captain Santos' complaint alleges that he had mentioned that he would declare war on her, at the time she was in charge of CID. However, he says the story is completely the opposite, saying, "That was her words [sic], that wasn't my words. It was her words that she stated that she's not afraid of Mark Charfauros and she's willing to go to war against Mark Charfauros simply because I made the comment that if you guys are going to do this criminal investigation against me, bring it on."

Santos declined an on-camera interview, however, she tells KUAM News that this is the first time in her 27 years of service that she has had to file a harassment complaint against another officer. Santos says in her capacity as the division chief of CID, she did not investigate cases. She says the agents' job overall is to investigate crimes and gather facts, and that the investigators merely brief her on their findings.

Although Santos would not discuss the details in her complaint, she says, "Righteous indignation only works for the righteous". While Charfauros maintains he did not leak any information to KUAM, he believes Santos may have filed the complaint as a result of the letter he first wrote to Suba recommending she moved out of CID. After Suba was forced to retire, Acting Chief Ricardo Leon Guerrero transferred Captain Santos to Forensics.

And Charfauros says since then he has kept his distance.

"I have made every effort to avoid her and every effort not to have communication with her and yet she goes and files a harassment complaint against me where I have not really harassed her in any different way, personally," he maintained. Charfauros added that while his only intention was to have CID agents back off on investigating him, he cautions Santos' actions, as he says they're a step in the wrong direction on the acting chief's plan to move the department forward.

"If you are really sincere about putting this department together, then put your personal differences aside and let's all come together as one and let's bring this department back in good light to the people of this island," he warned.