CRIMES in Bacolod City dropped by 20.83 percent, with 1,486 incidents recorded from January to June this year compared to last year's 1,877 cases, records at the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) showed.
For the index crimes or eight focus crimes, 363 incidents were recorded in 2018 against 604 cases in 2017, with a drop of 39.90 percent or 241 incidents, said Chief Inspector Sherlock Gabana, public information officer of BCPO.
All eight focus crimes decreased like theft, 148; robbery, 82; physical injuries, 71; rape, 33; motornapping, 11; murder, 10; homicide, 7; and carnapping, 1.
Gabana said all 10 police stations in the city have decreased its crime rate due to the presence of policemen in streets, intensified police visibility patrol, mobile patrol, and cooperation of the community and force multipliers.
For non-index crimes, 1,123 cases were reported this year compared to last year's 1,273 cases, with a decrease of 11.78 percent or 150 cases.
Non-index crimes include accidents resulting in homicide, 23; physical injuries, 280, and damage to property, 423, among others.
Gabana said there is an increase in traffic and vehicular accidents because of the ongoing road and drainage rehabilitation as well as the increase in the number of vehicles on the road.
Meanwhile, Gabana said that 181 operations were conducted against illegal gambling that resulted in the arrests of 537 persons. A total of 181 cases were filed.
Of the total number of arrests, 52 were collared for illegal numbers game and 129 were arrested for other illegal gambling games.
On the campaign against wanted persons, 31 most wanted persons and 154 other wanted persons were arrested in six months.
For the anti-loitering campaign, 625 operations were conducted against minors. A total of 1,738 minors were rescued.
Of the total number, 1,263 of them were rescued through Oplan Sita, wherein police conduct checkpoint in strategic areas and 699 were rescued through Oplan Bulabog, wherein police conduct random inspections in communities to flush out the criminals.
Gabana said these minors were warned and told to go home. Some of them were directly sent home to their parents or through barangay officials. (GYM)