BAGUIO CITY – The leadership of the Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) reported a significant drop in the city’s crime volume by at least 38 percent or from 3,119 crimes from January to November last year to only 1,935 crimes recorded during the same period this year.
BCPO City Director Police Col. Allen Rae F. Co disclosed that incidents of physical injuries decreased by 12 percent, robbery dropped by 5 percent, murder by 56 percent, homicide by 44 percent and carnapping or theft of motorcycles by 43 percent.
With the untiring efforts of the men and women in uniform, together with the cooperation of the community, and the traffic schemes, safety protocols and measures implemented as well as the strategic plans and programs initiated by the city government, Co claimed that vehicular accidents significantly decreased to only 815 incidents from the previous 1,887 incidents or a decrease of a whopping 57 percent.
The police official claimed that the significant decrease of crime incidents in the city was attributed to the implementation of the different anti-criminality plans and programs of the Baguio police force such as the intensified implementation of the Oplan Somabat or the detailed patrol plan and guide where patrollers and mobile patrol cars will be roaming around their designated areas on specific periods of time.
According to him, the implementation of the said operation plan was based on the data produced by the Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System (CIRAS) wherein deliberate deployment of police personnel along the identified hot spots or focus areas during the peak hours is implemented, bringing the policemen when and where they are most needed.
Co added that another strategy being implemented is the conduct of massive checkpoint operations to seal all ingress and egress to and from the city; the deployment of special tourist police which showcases the unique culture and traditions of the Cordillera, the utilization of the Cobra Eye Command Center wherein prompt response is achieved as incidents are immediately spotted through the closed circuit television (CCTV) and the operationalization of specialized teams like the Cobra Squad to respond to specific incidents or situations being monitored by the tactical operations center and to call received for police assistance.
He extended the BCPO’s commendation and congratulations to the city government for being chosen as one of the three winners to receive the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) cleanest Tourist City Awards from the different award giving bodies among all other recognitions from different award giving bodies to include receiving the first place as Best in eGov Systems for Global Competitiveness Award which was an initiative of the city’s accounting and budget teams and top performing Public Employment Service Office.
Co asserted that the BCPO would like to believe that in a small way, the city police force was a part of the city’s success as such recognition showcases the current peace and order situation of the city.
He emphasized that if there is peace and order in the city, there will be progress, there will be innovations and there will be development, thus, the police continues to work doubly hard to make the same possible for the people of the great city to be able to take care of their daily business and send their kids to school without fear of violence, resolve disputes through a functioning justice system and express their views both in private discussions and in public processes.
By Dexter A. See
