Mindanoatoday.com | New PNP-10 chief to revisit NorMin police’s drug war policy
By: Bobby Lagsa
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Newly installed Phil. National Police-10 (PNP-10) director Brig. Gen. Lawrence Coop said that there will be a review of the conduct of the police’s war against drugs as ordered by PNP Chief Gen. Rodulfo Azurin Jr.
Azurin announced that he wants to review the police’s drug war operations and seek religious leaders’ help in “reforming” the national police.
Coop said that the review of the fight against illegal drugs is only right and appropriate.
“Yes, it is only appropriate. We have been conducting (police) operations, many have died in those operations. Now we have instructions from him (General Azurin), let us see how we can integrate the Kasimbayanan as part of the (drug) prevention,” Coop said.
Kasimbayanan (Kapulisan, Simbahan, at Pamayanan) is a National Police program, which will ask religious leaders to help in “reforming” the police force. Coop said that they will tap the help of the Evangelical pastors, Catholic priests, and Muslim Imams in the region. “We will bring this down to the grassroots and municipal level,” the police official said.
The Kasimbayanan concept is also accompanied by the “Malasakit + Kaayusan + Kapayapaan = Kaunlaran” (Compassion + Order + Peace = Progress) mandate.
The quad concept refers to operation, intelligence, investigation, and police-community relations.
Coop said that there will be revisions to the old operational approach in fighting illegal drugs.
Reshuffling of police force
Coop added that there will a region-wide evaluation of the performances of police personnel.
“We have a scheduled a Command Conference tomorrow (Tuesday, August 16, 2022) and we will see the evaluation of each commander and we will see where they are effective or weak and we will adjust accordingly,” Coop said.
He added that in his stint here in the region, he will be aiming to sustain the good community relations between the police and the communities.
“The programs that were done before will be maintained and improved upon it,” Coop said.
In a report from Rappler, Azurin said that the Kasimbayanan concept “seeks to organize the community as peace advocates to ensure that every citizen is law-abiding. Furthermore, it aspires for church leaders to counsel their members, thereby contributing to reformation.”
Part of the program is a weekly meeting of PNP officers and personnel with life coaches from religious groups.
Azurin said the Kasimbayanan program will help them improve the credibility of the police.
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