The Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands' top cop was undergoing Senate confirmation, grilled by senators about how he will take over the Department of Public Safety, which has faced growing criticism for alleged corruption under the previous administration and lack of readiness.

Clement Bermudes said, "Let's start: Service. Trust. Accountability. Respect. and Transparency." The retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel and acting commissioner of the CNMI Department of Public Safety answered questions from the Senate committee during a public hearing, vowing to bring those values back to the front line. And he says it starts with a lot of training.

"Training apparently has become a one time, one and done deal, at the department. The academy is not the first and the lest training event," he said.

He wants to change that and the political influence that has seemed to take over the department over the years.

"Politics stops at me," he vowed. "Politics has no business at the Department of Public Safety."

He says his priority are the officers on the front line who interact with the community every day. He also hopes to lead the department to be accredited.

"You and I are on the same boat when it comes to accreditation. Because it is more than just the Commonwealth, because when we get accredited, just like in education, is is recognized in other places so that our officers that serve 20 years here can go to Arizona PD or some other police department and be at the same level as other police jurisdictions. So we need to up our game," he said.

He says DPS plans to release a road map with its strategy leading up to 2030, which will reflect its budget. Meanwhile, Senate committee members say they will recommend his confirmation to the full body.