Finding the balance: The X-factor for socio-economic growth

It is the interplay of various factors that spur socio-economic growth in any country, says  former Nueva Ecija police director Napoleon Taas. He stresses, however, that peace and order are the key factors in achieving  socio-economic development.

“If there is peace and order, citizens feel secure and they can perform their respective functions in whatever jobs they do,” Taas said.

In a chance meeting, Taas told The STAR that he was just relieved from his post as police director of Nueva Ecija and that he would be assigned to Camp Crame. Keeping to himself the reasons why, he said like any obedient law enforcer, as shown by his satisfactory performance attested by traders and the Novo Ecijanos, he wanted to brush aside politics as the big reason.

Taas, a close aide of PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon, Jr. said he would abide by the order given to him to vacate his post. “I believe I’ve done my best as mamang pulis to serve the province.”

During his stint, Nueva Ecija posted an 88 percent crime-busting efficiency, higher than the 85 percent national average, a nine percent reduction  in crime index, the empowerment of cops through technology,  zero occurrence of bank robberies, and the arrest of 656 most wanted persons.  “I believe that there has to be a compendium of police activities — visibility is not enough to quell disorder.” He cited that the constant shootfest he enhanced  for cops was designed to warn criminals that they are not sleeping on their jobs. So from the hinterlands to Cabanatuan City, traders and other entrepreneurs can walk with confidence carrying their wares. For instance, the Nueva Ecija Chamber of Commerce and Industry attested  that business is reaching a new highs, thanks to police concerns and dedication.

Taas initiated the setting up of the first Neppo website, the computerization of provincial police stations and the opening of a local media center.

He has impressive accomplishments in his career as a top police officer, among them: He appeared in two New York bestseller (The New Jackals and Breakthrough) for his role in the successful prosecution of international terrorists Ramsey Youssef and Abdul Hakim Murad. He was one of the first officers directed to raid the terrorist safehouse in Malate, Manila. He was instrumental in the planning and implementation of the first ever surveillance CCTV in NCR. He received a personal letter of commendation from US President Bill Clinton for his role as security detail leader during his 1995 state visit.

With regard to conceptualization and implementation of police programs and projects, Taas humbly enumerated the following: The crime control model Compstat (patterned after the NYPD) which resulted in the reduction of crime by about 15 percent in the NCR during the first quarter of 2005; the first-ever bike patrol in the country in 1996; he set up and published the first website (WPD) in 1997.

A graduate of PMA batch ’84, he had a degree of BS concentrating in civil engineering at the USMA, Westpoint, New York in 1999, then an MA in public administration at the Philippine Christian University.

The police senior superintendent attended various trainings, both foreign and local, in the field of signal intelligence, cybercrime, bank fraud, wireless security and security systems.