New police headquarters to rise in Valenzuela

MANILA, Philippines - Valenzuela City Mayor Sherwin Gatchalian led on Thursday the ground breaking ceremony of a P36.6 million modern police headquarters that will soon rise in the financial center in Barangay Karuhatan in Valenzuela city.

The new three-story edifice will have a total floor area of 1,458 square meters, or about three times the size of the current city police headquarters beside the Old City Hall which was built in 1982 during the term of former mayor Geronimo Angeles. The building will rise on a newly-acquired property adjacent to the new City Government Complex. The new headquarters will be the latest addition to the complex where other structures include the Bulwagang Geronimo Angeles (Finance Building), the Executive Building and the People’s Center and Legislative Building, and the Social Hall, that are now nearing completion.

It will have two conference rooms, conveniently laid out office spaces and a sleeping quarter that can accommodate up to 16 persons. It will be a more conducive workplace than the cramped up and dark interiors the police used to bear with their old site.

The new headquarters is part of Gatchalian’s continued support program to the Valenzuela City Police Station thru the Valenzuela City Police Capability Enhancement Program that aims to boost the morale of the police force and at the same time invest on their mobility for them to be able to cover a larger area, respond swiftly to emergency situations, and pursue criminal elements without delay, according to Gatchalian.

During the groundbreaking rites, Gatchalian also turned over some a P13 million worth of vehicles and equipment to the city’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit to beef up its capabilities on high risk operations.

The city chief executive, who also heads the Valenzuela City Peace and Order Council, said “proper equipment will allow local law enforcers to carry out their jobs better.”

The Valenzuela police SWAT team received four brand new Isuzu Crosswind units. In addition to that, pieces of equipment include high performance armory and top of the line gears designed to “answer the needs for door breaching speed in congested environments.”

City police chief Senior Superintendent Rainer Idio made the impression that the package will indeed boost the morale of his team. “Our law enforcers have been scoring a series of successful anti-crime operatives,” he said.            – Perseus Echeminada