BAGUIO CITY – Police authorities disclosed that the city’s crime clearance efficiency last year improved to 84 percent while crime solution efficiency was pegged at 77 percent which are reportedly higher compared to the national data and the regional data of only 70 percent for both indicators.
Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) City Director Senior Superintendent Ramil L. Saculles said the high clearance and solution efficiencies were maintained over the past four months this year.
Based on the data obtained from January to April 2016 to the same period last year, he reported that there was a significant decrease of index crimes last year by 1,361 incidents or by 71 percent and with their continuous efforts this year, the index crimes further decreased by 194 crime incidents or by 54 percent when compared to the same period last year.
When compared to the national data, the police official reported that the city’s decrease in index crimes which was pegged at 54 percent was much higher than the national figure of 18 percent reduction in index crimes which includes crimes against persons and crimes against properties to include the crime of rape.
Based on the BCPO report, theft decreased by 60 percent; physical injuries plunged by 62 percent, robbery dropped by 50 percent, rape cascaded by 58 percent and carnapping skidded by a whooping 75 percent.
However, non-index crimes during the similar period by 86 incidents or by 9 percent but the same could be greatly attributed to the occurrence of vehicular traffic accidents with a sudden surge of 376 incidents or by 93 percent.
He claimed that most of the vehicular traffic accidents are reckless imprudence resulting to damage to properties, and it is mostly committed due to alleged human error.
In the implementation of traffic ordinances in the city, Saculles reported that a total of 15,413 violators were apprehended for violations of local ordinances from January to April this year wherein it resulted to the increase in revenues with a total of P4,168,902 or a surge of P1,098,752 or by at least 26 percent compared to the same period last year with a collection of P3,070,150.
Further, the BCPO also contributed revenues to the local government in terms of issuance of police clearance and certification amounting to P3,767,832, which increased by 19 percent from P3,054,500 during the same period last year.
He claimed that the challenge for BCPO this year is the campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs wherein there were 9 arrested drug personalities and 52 drug surrenderers of which 14 were identified pushers and 38 were users.
Of the city’s 128 barangays, there were 6 barangays that were moderately drug affected as of the end of last year but as of to date, the Oversight Committee on Illegal Drugs chaired by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) upgraded some 18 barangays to drug affected increasing the city’s drug affected barangays to 24.
The BCPO’s City Mobile Force Company (CMFC) also exhibited an exemplary performance during the Civil Disturbance Management Competition wherein it was adjudged the overall champion among the different police offices regionwide. By Dexter A. See
