A top police official here in the Visayas confirmed reports that Bohol gets 110 more police officers, but the reinforcement goes all the way to the country’s first tourist police detachment here.
Nevertheless, the local Philippine National Police (PNP) officials here admit the move would be a great help as it largely contributes to police visibility at a time when police and population ratio hangs at 1:1100.
Police Regional Director Ronaldo Roderos confirmed reports that the new cops would be deployed here, and they would be manning tourist police detachments set up in key spots in the province.
Aside from the tourist cops, General Roderos also talked about the formation of a local Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), which is impending.
He reported that the Bohol team is already on the neuro-psychiatric tests before the formal training could commence.
Outgoing Police Director General Avelino Razon is slated to come to Bohol ext week to formally launch the new SWAT team, Bohol Capitol sources revealed last week.
It was not clear however if the 110 new cops include those to be assigned at the soon to be formed SWAT team.
At a press conference after the summit opening ceremonies, PCSupt Roderos said “the PNP is mandated to provide the personnel support” to the Bohol innovation in putting up tourist police detachments in key tourism stops.
The tourist police is a new concept of community policing where cops would be deployed in tourist areas both for crime prevention and for tourist assistance.
The tourist police is one of the main reasons why Central Visayas rates high in the annual search for the country’s best peace and order councils, said National Police Commission Regional Director Bernardo Calibo, in an earlier interview.
Roderos, who along with Deputy Director General Jesus Versoza and still a handful; of key police brass is attending the 5th National Biennial Summit on Women in Policing at the Bohol Plaza Resort from September 11-13.
The confirmation also elicited positive response from the local police forces who aired elation about the fact that police visibility especially in tourist circuits is largely enhanced.
Here, with police force totally outnumbered in crime prevention ratio, residents have asked fr more police visibility as deterrent force to crimes. (rachiu/PIA)
