A TOTAL of 120 personnel of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) were initially assigned to start the implementation of Oplan Bakbak (Bacolod Batok sa Krimen) Tuesday.
Senior Superintendent Jack Wanky, officer-in-charge of BCPO, on Tuesday led the launching of Oplan Bakbak at the BCPO headquarters, in the presence of Mayor Evelio Leonardia and Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran.
The identified personnel will be deployed for beat and foot patrols and will be utilized as “motorized” policemen.
The Oplan Bakbak has three sub-task groups. Chief Inspector Ruel Culanag, head of Traffic Management Unit, is assigned for the monitoring of beat patrollers; Senior Inspector Emmanuel Misajon, for the supervision of motorized cops; and Chief Inspector Ritchie Gohee, for the conduct of checkpoint operations.
At least 10 policemen will be deployed in crime-prone areas like the downtown area, Barangays Tangub, Pahanocoy, Taculing, Villamonte, Sum-ag and Handumanan, which are considered robbery hotspots.
The policemen will be deployed as well in murder hotpots, including Barangays Banago, Mansilingan, Taculing, Villamonte, Bata and Granada; and homicide hotspots, Barangays Tangub, Villamonte, Sum-ag, Mandalagan, and Vista Alegre.
They will be divided into three sectors from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by the second shift from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m., and another from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.
The over-all preparations and conduct of operations will apply and involve utilizing available resources from all 10 police stations, Bacolod City Public Safety Company, Mobile Patrol Group, and traffic group for the immediate tactical intervention such as mobile checkpoints and beat and foot patrol, police visibility and assistance to traffic and dragnet operations to address the present threats undermining peace and order situation of the city.
The police will also tap the support of barangay officials, force multipliers, and other stakeholders to compliment the conduct of barangay ronda, information gathering, and other crime prevention program.
Lastly, there will be a training of all personnel involved in the project to enhance their skills and capabilities.
Superintendent Noel Polines, chief of operations and plans unit of BCPO, said the Oplan Bakbak was conceptualized as part of the continuing efforts to address the emerging criminality in the city and to ensure the safety and security of the community.
This will revitalize the police action to minimize, if not eradicate the incidents, on the concepts of going back to the basics, Polines added.
Due to the recent developments, the BCPO crafted an anti-crime strategy by intensifying police operations through the conduct of active visibility patrols and rapid deployment of policemen riding in motorcycles to address the use of firearms and motorcycle-riding criminals and other forms of criminality, Polines said.
Wanky said the BCPO is very much active and committed to ensure everyone's safety and security.
“We want to assure you that the police is one with the local government, and aims to attain our vision of making the city a peaceful place and raise the confidence of our constituents especially those in the business community,” he added.
Wanky said more will soon be added to the 120 personnel for the Oplan Bakbak to deter street crimes and other criminal incidents.
Leonardia thanked Wanky for the creation of Oplan Bakbak, which addresses the security needs of the city, following the series of shooting incidents in the past weeks.
“We will now have a more efficient police force,” Leonardia said, adding that peace and order is everybody's concern.