Officer ‘bound’ to desk over wrong outfit

A POLICEWOMAN who paired her official patrol shirt with jeans and rubber shoes was ordered relieved and assigned to a position that will require her to wear the proper uniform: at the reception desk.

Acting Cebu Provincial Police Chief Erson Digal chanced upon PO3 Eva Caminade at the Carcar City Police Station past 2 p.m. and saw her in the get-up.

Digal asked her if this was her uniform and she nodded.

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At this, he told her to report to the Cebu Provincial Police Office and informed Carcar City Police Chief Renato Malazarte about it.

Malazarte, Digal said, had reportedly been calling Caminade’s attention to the uniform.

Digal and Malazarte both said they have not been remiss in reminding personnel about the Philippine National Police’s policy of wearing the proper uniform.

Malazarte said that during flag raising ceremonies, he constantly reminds his personnel to wear their uniforms properly. Police camps and stations have posters of the different approved uniforms for police officers.

Digal said a patrol shirt is just as “sacred” as the blue pinstriped uniform because it carries an officer’s badge number and the proper patches.

The light blue patrol shirts are meant to be worn with the prescribed blue pants, not with denim jeans.

What irked him more was that Caminade was assigned to the station’s police community relations, which requires her to coordinate with the public in spreading information.

To teach her a lesson, Digal plans to assign her to the information desk at the front office of the CPPO, right by the main door.

Her job will require her to wear the complete and proper uniform, and she can be seen by superior officers every day.

Digal said her reassignment will serve as a warning to others.

He said he will conduct unannounced inspections on police stations if he has engagements nearby and warned he will impose discipline on those caught violating PNP policies.