ASIDE from addressing crimes and ensuring public safety and policemen’s welfare, newly-installed Ilocos acting police regional director Brigadier Genral Lou Frias Evangelista has vowed to engage the community to deliver efficient service.
“One of our top priorities is the implementation of a strategic approach in crime prevention and solution. While we should be allocating resources and deploying personnel, we will stay one step ahead,” he said during the turnover of command on Wednesday at the Ilocos Police Regional Office (PRO-1) in San Fernando City, La Union, which was live-streamed over the regional police’s Facebook page.
Part of his seven-point agenda includes engaging the community and actively involving the youth in crime prevention by establishing neighborhood watch group, police-community academy and capacity-building programs.
“Andito tayo para magkaroon ng mga kaibigan hindi mga kaaway. Kung gaano man kabilis sa pagbibigay parusa sa erring personnel, mas mabilis dapat sa pagbibigay papuri at benepisyo sa kanilang mabubuting gawa (We are here to make friends, not enemies. As swift as we are in penalizing erring personnel we should be faster in praising and commending their good deeds),” he said.
Evangelista also aims to harness technology to optimize operational capabilities, improve data-driven decision-making, establish stronger information chain network, and integrate innovation.
Before the reorganization of the Philippine National Police, Evangelista is the director of the Police Community Affairs and Development Group (PCADG) at the national headquarters.
He replaced Brigadier General John Chua, who has been assigned as chief of the Area Police Command (APC) in the Visayas.
The turnover ceremony was led by PNP chief General Benjamin Acorda Jr., who encouraged PRO-Ilocos Region personnel “to unite with the new leader.”
“The success of the organization depends on the collective effort of every individual through work, discipline and focused commitment,” he said. (PNA)