Laguna policemen are now disabled-friendly.
This, after 39 members of police units from Laguna’s 27 towns and three cities underwent a five-day sign language seminar to help them deal with crime victims and witnesses who are speech and hearing-impaired.
The program is the first of its kind in the history of the Philippine National Police (PNP).
“We are now fully equipped to communicate with victims and witnesses of crimes who have speech and hearing impairment and we are hoping to solve cases like rape involving disabled children and women,” said Senior Superintendent Felipe Rojas Jr., Laguna police director.
The seminar, held at the Laguna police headquarters in Sta. Cruz town on Nov. 5-9, had the full support of PNP chief Director General Avelino Razon Jr. and Gov. Teresita Lazaro, Rojas said.
Equipping policemen with know-how on sign language is part of Razon’s program to raise the PNP’s crime solution efficiency.
Lazaro provided logistical support to the program, which Rojas and provincial board member Rey Paras initiated.
“I was talking with board member Paras one day when our topic centered on the need for our local policemen to be armed with sign language capabilities in dealing with speech and hearing-impaired victims and witnesses of crimes. So that’s where the project took off,” Rojas said.
Majority of the 39 policemen who attended the seminar are assigned to the women’s desk, a special PNP unit that investigates cases involving women and children.
Paras’ wife, Marina, and Vilma Dimaisip, both from the Paaralan ng Pag-ibig at Pag-asa in San Pablo City, were among the instructors.
Rojas said Razon plans to have the program replicated in other parts of the country once it is proven a success in Laguna.