ALONG THE HIGHWAY

Jehovah’s witnesses/Cabanatuan PNP best in ‘relations’
GEORGE TRILLO

CLARK FREEPORT -- Pampanga Jehovah’s Witnesses will end their three-day annual district convention at ExpoPilipino in Clark Freeport today in line with the religious group’s vigorous campaign to invite all to see how vital Jesus Christ is to the life of each individual. Members earlier invited everyone in Angeles City, San Fernando City, Guagua, Magalang, Sta. Ana, Mabalacat, San Simon, Apalit, Sasmuan, Porac, Candaba, Arayat, Mexico, and Tarlac to attend their annual convention.

Jesus Christ’s life, ministry, and future activities were the focus of this year’s three-day event. The Witnesses’ special event will be highlighted by the distribution of an attractively illustrated invitation. Their goal is to extend a personal invitation to as many people as possible. The effort is very similar to what the Witnesses did last year when they invited people to attend their "Deliverance at Hand!" District Convention. It was a great success, contributing to a sizable increase in convention attendance worldwide compared with that of the previous year.
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The Cabanatuan City Police Station is this year’s Region 3 awardee for Best Police Community Relations Unit and Most Friendly Police Station. The plaques for the two awards were handed recently to CCPS chief Supt. Eliseo Cruz by the Philippine National police and the National police Commission, respectively. CCPS was also last year’s Region 3 awardee for Best Police Community Relations Unit. It was learned from a police official in Camp Olivas , Pampanga that the CCPS has also been selected as Region 3’s Best City Police Station although official announcement has yet to be made.

Cruz said the station owes the awards to the men and women under his command. He said CCPS enjoys a good working relationship with the public through the support of the city government headed by Mayor Alvin Vergara. The city government, he said, had provided the station its essential facilities such as additional mobile cars, motorcycles, and supply of petroleum, oil and lubricant, special weapons and tactics costly accouterments, and other morale-boosting benefits. As a result, although undermanned, the CCPS, which has a total force of 181 vis-a-vis a large city population of some 300,000, has been able to serve the public efficiently and effectively as shown in its first-semester performance.

From 132 last year, the number of crime incidents in Cabanatuan significantly went down to 101 this year. Index crimes such as murder, homicide, rape, physical injury, robbery and theft similarly dropped from 60 to 48. The rate of the crime solution efficiency rose from 95 percent to 97 percent.

To maintain its remarkable performance, "we launched the weekly ‘Pulis Cabanatuan, Kabalikat ng Mamamayan" radio program through which the residents can air their requests for assistance, complaints, and other concerns or issues involving police matters," said Cruz, adding people can also communicate with the CCPS through his personal cell phone. Aside from combating crimes, CCPS also helps in the enforcement of the city ordinances that aim to make Cabanatuan a clean, orderly, and disciplined city.