Legislation that would transfer Government of Guam property in Yigo to the Guam Police Department for a new police precinct has been introduced by Senator Shawn Gumataotao.

With an estimated 22,000 Yigo residents combined with the 48,000 residents of Dededo, both villages make up nearly half of Guam’s total population of 168,000.

According to GPD’s 2023 Uniform Crime Report, the agency’s northern precinct in Dededo had only 34 full-time police officers on staff to provide services at a ratio of less than one police officer per 1,000 residents. 

Comparatively, the Tumon-Tamuning-Harmon Precinct had 32 full-time police officers to provide services at a ratio of 1.8 officers per 1,000 residents, and the Agat Precinct had 32 full-time police officers with one officer assigned per 1,000 residents.

Of the 282 crimes committed in Yigo in 2023, 186 were committed against persons (rape, aggravated assault, kidnapping), 20 against property (theft from motor theft, motor vehicle theft, vandalism of property), and 36 against society (drug/narcotic violations, weapons law violations). 

“If approved, this bill helps to fill a critical public safety void by reidentifying public land for the development of a police precinct in the municipality of Yigo-Guam’s second most populated village,” Sen. Gumataotao said.