The Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is enhancing its crime prevention measures by intensifying vigilance and police visibility on the streets and in the communities.
This, after the Police Regional Office’s “Patrol Rehiyon Onse” security program was launched on May 24.
Patrol Rehiyon Onse obligates law enforcers to patrol regularly– on foot or with the use of vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles –to ensure the communities under their jurisdiction are safe. The program also urges police patrolmen to get to know these communities and establish trust and partnerships with residents.
“Ang sa Patrol Rehiyon Onse gipabalik sa atoang Regional Director ang pinaka-basic gyud na trabaho sa kapulisan– mao ni ang crime prevention, ang pag-patrol diha sa kadalanan (In Patrol Rehiyon Onse, our Regional Director has brought back the most basic work of the police — this is crime prevention, patrolling the streets),” said DCPO Spokesperson PMaj Catherine Dela Rey in an interview during the Madayaw Davao program aired over the Davao City Disaster Radio on Monday.
The current marching order of the DCPO’s director PCol Alberto Lupaz to all city police personnel, Dela Rey said, is geared towards enhanced police visibility and vigilance in the communities, particularly in crime-prone areas.
“Ang atoang city director gi-direct pud niya ang mga station commanders na i-follow tong kaning patrol plan. Subayon gyud tong mga crime clock and crime-prone areas (Our city director also directed the station commanders to follow the patrol plan. Follow the crime clock and crime-prone areas),” the Major said.
As of January to April this year, Davao City recorded 94 crime incidents. This is significantly lower than the 167 cases recorded for the same months last year.
Of the eight focus crimes (theft, rape, robbery, physical injury, murder, homicide, carnapping of motorcycle, and carnapping of motor vehicle), rape remains the most numerous with 31 cases recorded from January-April 2023, although lower than last year’s 57 recorded cases for the same period.
The DCPO continues to launch Oplan Kilos, its security and community campaign against rape, in each barangay in the city to counter sexual crimes.
“Ongoing gihapon ang cascading sa atoang Oplan Kilos. Gi-una lang sa nato ang mga barangay na taas-taas ang record sa rape cases. Ang aim man gyud ana kay maka-launch ta sa tanang barangay sa dakbayan sa Dabaw (The cascading of our Oplan Kilos is still going on. We prioritized the barangays that have the highest record of rape cases. The aim is that we can launch in all barangays in the city),” Dela Rey said.
Another program, the Revitalized Police sa Barangay, is also still being actively enforced in the city. Dela Rey said the program is being emulated in different parts of the country as it had been proven effective in lowering the average crime rate in far-flung barangays that are not usually visited by patrolling police. It had also been useful in countering insurgent forces in hard-to-reach areas.
“Ang set up naay pulis didto para mutabang. Dako-dako na pud ilang achievements, pinaagi sa mga community projects like patubig ug other livelihood projects na pwede matabang didto sa community (The set up is we establish police presence there to help residents. The program has achieved a lot through its community projects like water supply and other livelihood projects to help the communities there),” she said.
Dela Rey urged residents to be partners of the DCPO in keeping the city safe by being aware of their surroundings and reporting any suspicious activity that they may observe. CIO
