by Mindy Aguon

Guam - In recent days various agencies in the Government of Guam have released reports detailing their accomplishments over the last year and their goals moving forward. These blueprints are aimed at informing the public how the government is working for them while also serving as a benchmark to hold departments and agencies accountable.

There is only one patrol officer for every 1,300 residents. Last year alone the Guam Police Department responded to more than 40,000 calls for service, making more than 1,700 arrests. The 120 police officers assigned to patrol the streets of Guam performed more than 105 thousand hours of neighborhood patrol last year, and in 2013 the department is hoping to increase the number to more than 200,000 hours by adding civilian police reserves to the island's four precincts.

Despite the constant challenge of having adequate manpower and working patrol vehicles, the police department is looking to provide even greater service to the public this year by increasing patrol around the island's public schools to prevent future thefts and increasing the number of dui checkpoints ensuring there is at least one each month and 8 in December. The department is actively engaged in acquiring a new fleet of vehicles, training additional officers, building a new police station, establishing a new surveillance camera system for the Tumon-Tamuning area and implementing a new fee schedule to bring services in line with costs.

Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense is hoping to build on the accomplishments of the last year. The office strengthened communications between first responders by purchasing more than $800,000 worth of radios and increased the Guam Fire Department's ability to respond to chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and explosive attacks with $800,000 in equipment and certification training.

The goals for the New Year include conducting a full-scale active shooter exercise in May, a full-scale terrorist attack exercise, revising the Guam Emergency Response Plan and turning it into the Guam Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, while also standing up the Marianas Regional Fusion Center that will receive, analyze, gather and share information between local and federal partners.

Public Health meanwhile is looking to expand its services and reach to create a healthier Guam. In the last year the department conducted outreach clinics to isolated areas on the island, provided services to tens of thousands of people through Medicaid, MIP, temporary assistance, and other public assistance programs.

In the coming year, Public Health is looking to increase student vaccines by having more on campus vaccination clinics, expanding the capacity to provide patient navigation and data management services for cancer detection, coordinate and promote the prevention of obesity and diabetes, as well as implement processes to streamline eligibility determinations for public assistance and improve customer service.

To view the these agencies reports as well as others, visit http://governor.guam.gov.