PNP to unwrap package of structural reforms

The Philippine National Police (PNP) is set to unwrap a package of structural and operational reforms meant to strengthen further its crime prevention, enhance its public image and regain the people’s trust and confidence in the organization.

PNP chief Director General Leandro Mendoza said a major component of the package is the deployment of 1,562 additional policemen in Metro Manila for increased police visibility and patrol as an effective deterrent to the commission of crimes.

The reinforcement, consisting of personnel pulled out from at least six regions and the national support units (NSUs), will be deployed in crime-prone areas in the metropolis, including shopping malls, bus and jeepney terminals, banks and other commercial centers, schools, churches and markets.

PNP Deputy Director General Rex Piad said those with board and lodging problems will be housed at the Central Police District gym, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) warehouse at the EIIB compound and available buildings and facilities at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig.

Meanwhile, some 6,000 new policemen will be recruited so that those pulled out from the provinces can go back to their respective mother units as soon as possible.

Mendoza revealed earlier there is a shortage of about 10,000 policemen for Metro Manila, which has a population of 12 million, to meet the ideal police-population ratio of 1:500.

Mendoza said personnel redeployment will be done in three stages within this month. Phase One involves 464 personnel taken from Regions 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and the Cordillera Autonomous Region, while Phase Two covers 750 policemen from the NSUs and Camp Crame. The final stage involves 344 men who were deployed earlier as a peacekeeping force in Kosovo and East Timor.

A total of P70 million out of a P1-billion support fund released by President Arroyo to the PNP has been earmarked for the purchase of new individual and unit equipment, repair of investigation facilities, and records and evidence rooms, acquisition of additional vehicles and investigation gear and training of new investigators.

Police investigators will soon be wearing special uniforms so that they could be easily identified when responding to a crime.

Another P80 million has been appropriated to buy modern intelligence and surveillance gadgets and communication devices for enhanced capability in crime detection and solution.

Traffic enforcement policemen will soon receive two sets of new uniform, riding boots, Sam Browne belts, handcuffs, flashlights, whistle, reflectorized vests and Stetson hats. Traffic officers were under strict orders never to compromise the issuance of traffic violation tickets.

"To ensure good coordination among various traffic enforcement agencies, an organizational setup for Metro Manila has been drawn. The chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority will exercise administrative and operational control through the Metro Manila traffic chief, director, the Traffic Management Group and the Metro Manila deputy traffic group commander."

Over P82.6 million was allocated for the purchase of additional equipment for the special weapons and tactics (SWAT) of the NCRPO and the five police districts in the metropolis.

"Through the purchase of these new equipment, coupled with the training of new and highly motivated PNP personnel, the PNP shall certainly be able to perform its mission and most probably surpass its level of performance in the previous years," Mendoza said.