Smoking ban set on city police

By Dexter A. See

BAGUIO CITY – A smoking ban has been imposed on the 500-strong police force in this city while on duty.

Senior Supt. Roberto Quinto Soriano, city police officer-in-charge bared this saying non-smoking policemen must have the moral ascendancy to arrest violators of the anti-smoking ordinance even if violators are fellow police officers.

Soriano said as law enforcers, city police should not only enforce the city’s anti-smoking policy but refrain from smoking while wearing uniforms or on official duty.

He said the smoking ban is not only imposed in the premises of police stations and public buildings but throughout a police officer’s day-long assignment, particularly while on routine mobile and foot patrol.

Soriano warned monitoring will be done on daily activities of law enforcers deployed around the city so they will strictly adhere to the order.

The acting police chief encouraged the public to report uniformed policemen smoking while on duty.

The strict implementation of the city’s no smoking policy in public places is part of the anti-littering ordinance to help bring back the beauty and cleanliness of the country’s summer capital.

Earlier, Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan declared public places in the city are no smoking areas, thus, the need for concerned city departments to enforce the policy to set an example for residents and tourists.

Apart from adhering to this ordinance, the local police force will be involved in cleanup operations in the city’s central business district area to serve as model for residents to follow conduct their own cleanup activities, Soriano said.

Police will also intensify operations to apprehend public utility vehicles drivers who are smoking while inside their vehicles.

The past years, concerned stakeholders observed leaders of the city did not religiously implement the no-smoking policy which contributed to deteriorating air quality in the city.