BAGUIO CITY – The Summer Capital’s total crime volume incidents decreased by a whopping 38 percent from January to November this year as compared to the same period last year or 1,184 less incidents in 2019 as compared to the 3,119 reported in 2018.
This was disclosed by Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) Dir. Allen Rae Co in Monday’s flag-raising rites at City Hall led by Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan.
He said that incidents of physical injuries decreased by 12 percent; robbery by five percent; murder by 56 percent; homicide by 44 percent and carnapping or theft of motorcycles by 43 percent.
Co added that vehicular traffic accidents in the city lowered to 815 from the last year’s 1,887 accidents or a significant decrease of 57 percent due to community cooperation, traffic scheme, safety protocols and measures implemented including strategic plans and programs initiated by the present administration under Magalong.
“When the community trusts their policemen, when they have the high sense of confidence in them and cooperates fully with them, their policemen will be enabled, will feel better about themselves, thus perform better, work at their best and produce greater results,” he stressed.
Co attributed the significant decrease in crime incidents to the implementation of the BCPO’s various anti-criminality plans and programs like the intensified Oplan SOMABAT or the detailed patrol plan and guide where patrollers and mobile cars are roaming around their respective designated areas on specific periods of time.
“This is based on data produced by the CIRAS (Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System) where deliberate deployment of police personnel along identified hotspots or focus areas during peak hours is implemented, bringing your policemen When and Where they are most needed,” he explained.
Co said his office also conducts massive checkpoint operations to seal all ingress and egress to and from the city; deployment of special tourist police that additionally showcases Cordilleran culture and traditions; use of the Cobra Eye Command Center where prompt response is achieved as incidents are immediately spotted on CCTV; operationalization of specialized teams to respond to specific situations monitored by the tactical operations center and calls received for police assistance. -Gaby Keith
