New policemen told to set good example

CEBU, Philippines - City Police Director Melvin Ramon Buenafe challenged the 190 policemen that will augment the city police force this Christmas season to be good examples to the public.

 “We will be expecting a lot from you because you arrived in an opportune time to secure the Christmas celebration of the city,” Buenafe said in a speech during the distribution ceremony at Camp Sotero Cabahug yesterday.

“Being with CCPO is a big responsibility….to manage the threats, which is common to highly urbanized cities (like Cebu City),” Buenafe added.

The 190 policemen came from the Police Regional Office – 7 and will be distributed to the 11 police stations in the city. Each station will have 15 policemen as augmentation force.

The policemen are augmenting the city police purposely to intensify police visibility especially during dawn masses, which will begin this Friday, December 16.

The new recruits are technically still on training, but Buenafe clarified that they are already part of the Philippine National Police.

Buenafe said the new policemen must strive in finding ways “to improve the image of the police” in everything that they do. 

“Kapag tinitignan kayo sa labas, kahit Field Training Police lang kayo, kahit ano ang mangyayari kayo ay mga pulis na and be sure to carry the good image of the PNP,” Buenafe reminded them. 

“Makikita na nila ang pagkakaiba nang controlled environment sa training at dito sa labas. Try to get as much lessons as you can on how police work in the real world,” he added. 

The policemen will be distributed to various churches in the city as early as 4:30 am on Friday. Police outposts will also be put-up near churches for immediate police action for any untoward incident.

Other police units like the Mobile Patrol Group and the CCPO Motorcops will also be on full deployment during the duration of the nine-day dawn masses.

The augmentation force is part of the 800 policemen that PRO-7 Deputy for Operations Sr. Supt. Louie Oppus promised earlier this month to aid in maintaining peace and order throughout the region.

Another 100 policemen have also been deployed to the Provincial Police Office.

Provincial Police Director Sr. Supt. Patrocinio Comendador said some of the policemen will be assigned at police stations with few personnel while the others will be assigned at the Provincial Public Safety Company.

Systems are also in place to secure churches across the province during dawn mass. Comendador said he has instructed all police chiefs to deploy enough police across their areas of responsibility.

Police are also expected to conduct series of checkpoints.

Meanwhile, the Armed Forces of the Philippines are also preparing to support the PNP in providing security. AFP personnel will be securing power lines, sea ports, airport and terminals.

Lt. Col. Christopher Tampus, spokesman of the Central Command, said this will be the time when they have to be extra vigilant since unlawful elements would take advantage of the occasion. – (FREEMAN)