Hiring of police auxiliary pushed

CEBU, Philippines - The Police Coordinating Advisory Council (PCAC) has recommended the hiring of at least 100 police auxiliary personnel to augment the Cebu City police force.

Mayor Michael Rama favors the recommendation but was not included in the second supplemental budget prepared by the local budget committee. Rama said although he supports the proposal but he also understands why it was not budgeted because the city has other priorities.

PCAC presiding officer Jose Maria Eugene Elizalde said they plan to hire the services of police auxiliary personnel to solve the shortage of policemen in the city. The auxiliary personnel will be required to wear uniforms similar to that being used by policemen.

“Dili kay ang isul-ob nila pareho g’yud sa uniporme sa police kay wala man usab kini itugot sa balaud, apan kana ba nga mora’g duna la’y gamay’ng kalainan sa iyang patches (Not really the same as the police uniform because it is not also allowed under the law but it should be something that is similar),” Elizalde said after the PCAC meeting yesterday.

Elizalde said they have already endorsed the idea to the city officials to work for the needed funding. PCAC suggested that those will be hired as auxiliary personnel are those police applicants who did not make it in the quota.

They will be paid by the city government based on the standard minimum rate.

“Maayo ni nga training ground nila kay kon maayo sila og lihok isip mga police auxiliary daku ang posibilidad nga ma-hire sila kon dunay sunod nga recruitment sa police ( this is a good training ground for them because they can be absorbed in the next recruitment quota if they perform better),” Elizalde said.

Based on the police-to-population ratio of one policeman for every 500 population for a highly-urbanized city, the city should have about 1,600 policemen because the population of the city is already at 800,000.

The Cebu City Police Office only has 900 policemen way below the standard ratio.

During the PCAC meeting yesterday the rampant violators of the jaywalking ordinance has been discussed that prompted Elizalde to ask CITOM executive officer Rafael Christopher Yap and Traffic police chief Aureo Sanchez to solve the problem. – (FREEMAN)