PALO, Leyte -- The newly installed officer-in-charge of Tacloban City Police Office (TCPO) was ordered to map out a comprehensive plan to reduce street crimes and to deal with street criminals.

Police Regional Office (PRO)-Eastern Visayas Director Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Soria said he wanted to improve the peace and order situation in the city in line with the expected increase in street crimes with the onset of the so-called “ber” months.

“This is also in compliance to the directive of our chief PNP (Philippine National Police), Director General Alan LM. Purisima, to reduce the crime rate by at least 50 percent by 2015,” Soria said.

Soria made the directive during Thursday’s turnover of office, wherein Police Senior Superintendent Domingo Cabillan was designated as OIC of Tacloban City Police Office.

Cabillan is a member of Philippine National Police (PNP) Academy “Tagapagbuklod” Class 1989 and was the former police provincial director of Capiz.

Soria said an increased police presence in crime-prone areas will play a key role in the success of his directive.

“Additional police personnel shall be deployed in identified hot spots to provide quick response and improve crime prevention,” the region’s top police official added.

Soria also allayed apprehensions that crime activities in the city are increasing, especially robbery and snatching cases.

“There was actually a downtrend in the total crime volume in Tacloban City for the second quarter as compared to the first three months this year,” he said, adding that 395 cases were recorded in the second quarter, which is 242 cases lower than the first quarter’s 637 cases.

He advised the public to be always on alert and to report immediately any security concern and information to the authorities for immediate police action. (Leyte Samar Daily Express)