Thursday, April 24, 2008 CCPO briefs councilors on order, safety updates
EVEN if the Cebu City Police Office (CCPO) is confident that Cebu City is still a “very peaceful and vibrant city,” it took nearly two hours to discuss in yesterday’s City Council session the ways to improve peace and order, and address crimes in the city.
CPPO Director Patrocino Comendador, along with the heads of the different stations and special units, officials of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group 7 and the National Bureau of Investigation 7, appeared in the session after Councilor Arsenio Pacaña gave a privilege speech early this month.
Citing the death of nursing student Ruby Jade Ruba and college student Lucky Pitogo, he asked for the police’s “preemptive moves” to assure the constituents that they are safe in Cebu City.
Ruba was killed by a robber who got her cellular phone last March 6, while Pitogo was shot dead by three-motorcycle-riding men who tried to snatch his phone in Liloan, Cebu last March 29.
Comendador said that they reduced crime rate in the city by 42 percent and scored high in the battle against illegal drugs. They will also continue to campaign against human trafficking and pursue their programs such as mountain patrols, joint community patrols, tourist assistance center, and anti-street hoodlums operating team, among others.
Constituents
He reported that CPPO presently have 1,019 personnel and 156 were recently added through the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7, giving the ratio of one policeman for every 800 constituents. Ideally, he said, it should be one policeman for every 200 constituents.
He also reported that they still lack personnel, vests, and vehicles.
Councilor Hilario Davide III suggested to Comendador that the PRO 7 be requested for more personnel as Cebu City is an urban area while Pacaña asked that more checkpoints be conducted to reduce cases of hold-ups.
Vice Mayor Michael Rama reminded the police to prepare well in time for the opening of classes on June 10.
Councilor Augustus Pe Jr., head of the committee on public order and safety also sought the help of the council in increasing the allowances, and giving legal, medical, and housing support to the police.
He also promised that a computerization program for the police will be in place this year to provide clear police clearances.
He said that the City Government will enter into an agreement with the Cebu Normal University to upgrade the investigating skills of the police force. Some 40 police inspectors are expected to take the City-funded upgrading course for six months.
Rama asked Councilor Edgardo Labella, whose office led the 12 seminars for the Lupong Tagapamayapa (barangay mediators) of the city’s 80 barangays in 2006, to coordinate with the project’s proponents. (NRC)
