152 cops deployed in Baguio to lessen crime

BAGUIO CITY -- At least 152 rookie policemen have been assigned in this mountain resort city to maintain peace and order in preparation for the celebration of the centennial of the city on Sept. 1.

Chief Supt. Orlando Pestano, director of the Police Regional Office in the Cordillera, said of the 152 cops, 91 have just finished the field training program of the Philippine National Police in Camp Crame, and 61 came from the Cordillera Administrative Region Training School based at Teachers Camp here.

Pestano said additional law enforcers to be assigned in the city the next six months will enhance police visibility in crime-prone areas and will intensify mobile and foot patrol operations.

The deployment is expected deter the commission of crimes. Earlier, city officials had challenged the Baguio City Police Office to improve police visibility and step up mobile and foot patrol operations especially during busy hours.

With the expected influx of people to the city for the centennial celebration of Baguio City, Pestano said, there is a need to deploy more uniformed policemen and plainclothesmen at crime-prone and busy areas.

At present, BCPO has a force of 550 organic members with at least 50 police auxiliaries who attend to the security needs of the over 301,000 night residents and over 700,000 day residents of the city.

Pestano said that peacekeeping and anti-terrorism drives as well as anti-crime efforts would not succeed without the cooperation of the public.

He appealed to the city residents and even tourists to report any untoward incident so that the law enforcers could immediately respond. – Dexter A. See