For having brought the police system closer to the community it is serving, the Dagupan City Police Station was adjudged Best City Station in Police Community Relations (PCR) this year.
Police Superintendent Edgar O. Basbas, city police chief, received a plaque of merit embodying the award from Presidential Chief of Staff Michael Defensor during the awarding ceremony at Camp Crame on July 31 in the presence of the Police Director General Oscar Calderon, Chief, PNP.
Basbas said the major thrust of the Philippine National Police is better community relations, or “satisfying the security needs of the residents.”
“We should not only apprehend criminals but we should make the city residents feel safe and secure,” Basbas said.
Towards this end, the city police have been implementing several projects such as the “Beat Patrol System” or the deployment of police personnel along busy city streets and crime-prone areas.
“Police visibility is a deterrent to crime,” Basbas noted.
The police is also readily accessible through number 166, a hotline that can be reached by both subscribers of PLDT and Digitel telephone companies.
Monitoring teams
The city police likewise practice community-oriented policing system or getting the support of barangay officials, non-government and civic organizations in watching over the communities against illegal activities.
“We have mobilized the barangay tanods to monitor against unlawful actions in the villages,” Basbas said.
Complementing the tanods’ efforts are multi-sectoral monitoring teams such as Task Force Bantay Dagupan, the Public Order and Safety Office, different civic and communications groups (Action, Kabayan, Delta and Spectrum), army reservists, Guardians, and Phabi,
Basbas commended the groups for “actively cooperating with the police in crime monitoring, reporting, prevention and control.”
The police chief added that random checkpoints are set up to implement the No Plate, No Travel policy and the Pass Card System in the major chokepoints in the city.
The city police also intensified its operations against syndicates of illegal drugs, carnapping, street crimes and bank robbery, and against terrorism and kidnapping.
Basbas said that on deck are the following projects: The organization of the Community Police Action Centers (Compact) in coordination with barangay leaders and the city government; and the setting up of “Bantay Bangko” and “Dragnet” to address bank robbery/hold up and hostage taking situations.
Women and children friendly
The city police maintain a Women and Children’s Protection Desk (WCPD) and Family Juvenile Gender Awareness Desk manned by three personnel who are responsible for the programs on women and children’s welfare.
The desk is responsible for upholding the rights of women and children who may be victims or are in conflict with the law.
“The desk personnel have been attending seminars and dialogues on women and children laws, and have in turn been resource speakers during seminars on the issues in some schools and barangays,” Basbas pointed out.
Among the activities, plans and programs of the WCPD are campaign against prostitution, vagrancy and street children’s welfare; rehabilitation of victims of abuse and violence and seminars on children and women consciousness and awareness.
Basbas said that a partnership between the police and the community is the best system to fight criminality in the city.
“We are continuously reaching out to the community, and we are happy that the community has been cooperating with us in our battles against unlawful activities,” he concluded.
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