LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- Valley Top cop Byron Allatog is among the finalists for the Country's Outstanding Police Officers in Service or COPS 2014.
Allatog is part of an elite group of 20 finalists for various categories of the nationwide search.
The Valley top cop is among eight finalists for Police Commissioned Officers category with Chief Inspector Reynald Arino, commanding officer of the Zamboanga City-based 5th Special Action Battalion of the PNP Special Action Force; Senior Superintendent Rhoderick Armamento, chief of the Valenzuela City Police Station; and Senior Superintendent Jesus Cambay Jr., former Baguio City Police Office director.
The Metrobank Foundation, Rotary Club of New Manila East and PSBank, in cooperation with the Philippine National Police, announced the 20 finalists, eight of them Police Commissioned Officers and 12 Police Non-Commissioned Officers for the search for the Country's Outstanding Police Officers in Service or COPS 2014.
The 20 finalists were chosen from over 100 applicants.
Winners of the prestigious COPS award will be feted by President Benigno Aquino, Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Mar Roxas, PNP chief, Director General Alan Purisima and the Metrobank Group and Metrobank Foundation Inc. chairman Dr. George S.K. Ty, Metrobank Foundation, Inc. president Aniceto SobrepeƱa and PSBank president Vicente R. Cuna Jr.
Each COPs 2014 winner will receive a P400,000 cash reward.
The search recognizes the shared responsibility between the police and the community and seeks to identify gallant men and women in the 148,000-strong police force who are able to work with the community to prevent and solve crime.
In 2013, Allatog took over the reins from Valley Top cop Richard Albon.
Allatog is a member of PNPA class 2001 and was formerly was the chief of the Public Information Office of the PNP Cordillera.