THE Public Safety and Security Office head has urged police authorities to conduct patrols not only for visibility purposes but to engage with people on the ground.
“Aside sa mga patrol, you engage personally sa people nga naa diha sa ground (Aside from patrolling, they should personally engage with the people on the ground),” PSSO head Angel Sumagaysay said in an interview on Davao City Disaster Radio on June 1, 2023.
“Kung imuha ng turf, kung ikaw ang patroller dinha, you’re supposed to know the residents nga naa diha, kana mao na’y basic (If it is your turf, you’re the assigned patroller, you’re supposed to know the residents in your area and that’s basic),” Sumagaysay said.
“Dapat i-engage pud sa mga patrollers ang mga residente kay dinha nila mahibaw-an kung unsa gyud ang problema on the ground (They should engage with the residents because it’s the only way for them to know what are the concerns on the ground),” he said.
Sumagaysay said he is not criticizing the police operations but he was giving suggestions to help better secure the city as he used to be also part of the police force before he retired from service.
“Pero sa panahon ni Col. Danao, gi-metric niya, gihimoan niya og metric kung ikaw ang patroller dinhe kung pila ka kalsada accountable ka kung unsay mahitabo diha, mapasakaan ka og administrative case (During our time with Col. Danao, he made a metric system that if you’re the patroller of a particular area you will be the one who is accountable there, and whatever happens in your area you can be charged administratively),” he said.
Sumagaysay said that patrollers should be accountable for their area of responsibility.
The concern has been raised as the police authorities in Davao City have received backlash due to multiple crime incidents happening in the city that caused public fear and caught the attention of former President Rodrigo Duterte.
Due to the recent crime incidents, some Dabawenyos expressed their feeling of being unsafe in the city.
According to the Davao City Police Office, a total of 18 murder cases have been recorded from January to April 2023, one murder case higher than the same period in 2022.
Police Regional Office-Davao Region (PRO-Davao) also reported that out of 128 rape cases in Davao, about 35 cases are from Davao City. (KSD)