Mindanaotoday.com | PNP chief urges NorMin cops to engage the community
By: Franck Dick Rosete
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Enhance the capabilities and effectiveness of the Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP chief Gen. Rolando Azurin Jr. urged all officers in Northern Mindanao to continually prioritize “community-based policy and engagement,” as the success of the police’s work would depend on the support of the communities they serve.
“We must continue to build and strengthen those relationships through positive interactions, information sharing, and joint problem solving – our Kasimbayanan program,” Azurin said in his speech during his command visit to the Police Regional Office 10 Sunday, April 16.
Kasimbayanan, which stands for Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan, aims to strengthen the collaboration of the police, church, and community in order to achieve the peace and security framework M+K+K=K (Malasakit, Kaayusan, Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran) program.
Azurin told police officials in the region that maintaining the peace and security of a particular area would possibly result in the establishment of many businesses because of the trust provided by the business sector.
If there were businesses, he said, it would help the economy and provide employment to the people.
With the PNP’s investment in technology, the PRO-10 was also urged to focus on developing and utilizing technology and data to improve its operations and investigations, ensuring that all police officers were trained and equipped to maximize the said resources.
“Slowly, we are trying to improve our digitalization so that it would make our jobs easier in terms of administrative as well as operational and investigative work,” Azurin said.
During his command visit, Azurin also participated in the blessing of the Bachelor Officers Quarter, PRO-10 regional headquarters administrative building, and 42 units of light motorcycles.
A command conference attended by various police officials in the region was also conducted, where police offices and units from the five provinces and two highly urbanized cities in the region presented to the PNP chief a total of 806 long and short firearms coming from former rebels and police operations.
Maj. Joann Navarro, PRO-10 spokesperson, said the deposited firearms were police accomplishments since the assumption of Azurin as PNP chief, from August 1 last year to March 21, 2023.
To provide a better service to the people, Navarro said Maj. Gen. Rolando Olay, PNP director for logistics, also confirmed that PRO-10 will still be receiving additional 36 patrol cars, six personal carriers, and a transport light vehicle for the calendar year 2023.
Despite the pressing issues faced by the organization, the PNP chief also urged all police personnel not to get distracted and continue to their tasks in accordance with the law and with respect for human rights. (MT)
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