LA TRINIDAD, Benguet — Philippine National Police Chief Benjamin Acorda, Jr. said last week community engagement remains to be the top best practice towards a peaceful community.
Acorda, who graced the 122nd Police Service Anniversary at Camp Bado Dangwa, urged the men and women of the Police Regional Office-Cordillera to continue its good practice of involving the community in its anti-criminality and community engagement programs.
“That is why three out of the five-focus agenda for PNP involves winning the hearts of people because we need the people to trust us, and that community engagement becomes the norm for the people and the police to work together,” Acorda said.
The PNP’s five-focus agenda for a better and more effective police force are personnel morale and welfare; community engagement; integrity enhancement; information and community technology development; and honest law enforcement operations.
For personnel morale and welfare, Acorda said this does not only involve the commissioned officers but also taking care of the non-commissioned police officers to give their best service in their various capacities.
The community engagement agenda aims to allow for a more open dialogue with the public, in which they are not afraid to approach their respective police force to ask for assistance or even be a part of the programs of the police.
The integrity enhancement agenda aims to revitalize the police force and to rid it of scalawag personnel who are involved in crimes.
“I come from the intelligence community and I have encountered a lot of reports of crimes involving various people including government officials, but the number of reports involving police personnel is still minimal. Meaning, the number of good men and women out of the 228,000 police force of the PNP outweighs the number of scalawags,” he said.
He lauded PRO-Cor for being a good example of police to emulate in the country.
Acorda praised the accomplishments of PRO-Cor which includes the conduct of more than 600 anti-illegal drug operations leading to 507 arrests and seizures of P5 billion worth of illegal drugs.
Also, the PRO-Cor’s anti-illegal logging campaign yielded the arrest of 46 individuals and recovery of 55,253 board feet of lumber worth P8.9 million.
“As we celebrate our accomplishments today, let us reaffirm our commitment to integrity, professionalism, and community service. Together let us remain guardians of peace, justice and security, ensuring a safer future for everyone,” he said.
Acorda also distributed medical supplies and two units of ambulance to the various police provincial offices, as well as conducted the ceremonial burning of marijuana at the regional headquarters. – Ofelia C. Empian
