THE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) is proposing a bigger police office, which will include four new police stations, as the city's rapid growth, rising population, and massive tourist arrivals has already overtaken the ideal number of policemen for peacekeeping.
DCPO Director Alexander Tagum said Tuesday, January 30, that since Davao City, the hometown of President Rodrigo Duterte, has now become the alternate seat of the government and is hosting several national and international events, it is high time to also improve the security system of the office to protect the visitors and its people.
The additional police stations will "cover the growing demands of an expanding community and local population."
"The old set up of Davao City Police Office with 12 police stations runs way back 10 to 20 years ago," Tagum said.
Thus, he plans to divide the areas of Sta. Ana Police Station (PS), San Pedro PS, where commercial businesses are sprawling, and Talomo PS and Buhangin PS due to several housing projects there.
He said additional City Mobile Forces Companies composed of 108 personnel for each legislative district is needed to augment the lone Davao City Mobile Force Company (DCMFC) to secure vulnerable borders from enemy or terrorist intrusion and to run after lawless armed group.
Tagum said they also proposed the Special Recruitment Quota and training of 1,700 police personnel intended for Davao City alone.
At present, DCPO has a total strength of 1,890 personnel. However, to achieve the ideal police to population ratio of 1 is to 500, it needs to have 3,497.
Based on their comparison with the Quezon City Police District, it has a total land area of 165.3 square-kilometers with a population of 2,936,116 as of 2015 census, six congressional districts and 142 barangays. Its police to population ratio is at 1 is to 596 with its 4,924 total police personnel.
Davao City, on one hand, has 2,444.61 square-kilometers land area with a population of 1,632,991, three congressional districts, and 182 barangays. Thus, it has a 1:864 policeman to population ratio with its 1,890 personnel spread on an area that is almost 15 times bigger.
Furthermore, Police Stations 1 to 5 and Police Stations 8 and 10, which contain bigger number of population, should be manned by police commissioned officer with the rank of police superintendent and a Table of Organization (TO) position, considering these are highly urbanized and significant areas that should be considered as Class A police stations.
"The proposed expansion is based on the following premise: With the rapid growth and expansion of Davao City, we cite Title III, Section 25 of Republic Act 6975, otherwise known as the PNP Law: At the provincial level, there shall be a PNP office, each headed by a provincial director. In case of large provinces, police districts, may be established by the Commission to be headed by District Director," the position paper said.
By 2020, Tagum is hoping that DCPO will be upgraded into Davao City Police District if these recommendations will be approved.
He thanked Councilor Maria Belen Sunga Acosta for her active support on their proposal through the endorsement of the City Peace and Order Council to the City Council for a resolution to be approved by the mayor.
He said the endorsement will expedite the approval in the national headquarters, Philippine National Police, and National Police Commission so that the recruitment of additional police forces will start.