Sunday, December 02, 2007 Lapu police chief gets to keep post
SUPT. Louie Oppus will remain as chief of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office until the promotion board in Manila decides on who should head the office.
Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 Chief Ronald Roderos yesterday said the Senior Officers Placement and Promotion Board in Manila must issue a guideline on the rank of a police officer to lead the class D police office.
“He will continue to be there as acting police director until the board decides on him because we can’t afford a vacuum in a police office,” Roderos said.
The police offices in Cebu and Mandaue cities have a higher classification so they are led by a police officer holding the rank of a senior superintendent. Roderos wants a guideline for a class D classification.
‘Let Oppus stay’
But whatever is the guideline, Mayor Arturo Radaza and other city officials are keen on retaining Oppus.
They cited the low crime index since Oppus took over as the chief of police.
Oppus, in a separate talk, said the new police office needs more personnel, vehicles and communications equipment to make them more effective.
The National Police Commission (Napolcom) transformed Lapu-Lapu’s police station from a mere outpost of the Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) into a police office in an en banc decision last Oct. 5.
This is to conform to the city’s recent highly urbanized status.
Roderos has yet to issue an order implementing the Napolcom decision, but said it is now his office that has operational and administrative control of the Lapu-Lapu police, no longer the CPPO.
Roderos, Vice Mayor Mario Amores and Oppus led yesterday’s blessing of the new Toyota Innova patrol car, which is included in the assistance City Hall promised the police.
Some P1.5 million has been allotted for the construction of a new police station in Barangay Poblacion.
Boodle fight
After the blessing, a boodle fight (meal) and inspection of new equipment for the police and Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team were conducted.
The Swat also displayed their two night-vision goggles, two-layered bulletproof vests and helmets that are impenetrable by an M16 bullet, and a small microphone.
Lack of firearms and communications equipment will also be addressed.
Roderos said he will be deploying policemen from the Regional Mobile Group to Lapu-Lapu as soon as he knows how many operatives the city needs. (AIV)
