Thursday, January 10, 2008 Soria asked to 'reinvent' San Fernando police By Albert B. Lacanlale
CITY of San Fernando Police Chief Renato Soria received orders on Wednesday to reinvent the police force in the city to cope with the efforts on peace and order of the entire Philippine National Police (PNP) and the City Government.
In a meeting with Mayor Oscar Rodriguez and Pampanga Provincial Police Director Ernald Keith Singian, Soria was asked to perk up the peace and order climate in the city by introducing new system in manning the police force.
Soria was officially designated as city police chief last Monday, replacing officer-in-charge Chief Inspector Walter Castillejos, who led the police in the city for several weeks after pitching in for relieved Superintendent Audie Atienza.
Rodriguez said the City Government would support the move to improve the services of the police personnel in the city, which had been nominated as among the cities with the best peace and order councils in the country.
The mayor said the police force should be professionalized to once again earn the respect of the citizenry that has had negative attitudes towards the government's policemen.
Rodriguez told Soria to reestablish the police's significant contribution to the community by improving all aspects of the police's service, including their physical appearance, particularly in wearing uniform.
The City Government, he said, is always supporting the police force by way of equipment and other logistical assistance to assure that the keepers of the peace and order are always capable of responding to emergencies.
Singian, for his part, directed Soria to assign personnel at Cambilan outposts which are located in strategic places in the city.
He also wants security and traffic in front of the two giant malls in the city and the Poblacion area to be properly managed.
Having been assigned once to the Traffic Management Group police regional office, Soria is also expected to improve traffic condition in the city.
