The Philippine National Police on Monday officially assumed complete jurisdiction over the PNP Academy (PNPA) — signaling the build-up of physically and morally-competent police organization.

PNP chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde formally accepted the transfer of the PNPA from the Philippine Public Safety College to the PNP during simple rites at Camp General Mariano N. Castañeda in Silang, Cavite, on Monday morning.

Albayalde said the transfer gives the PNP full administrative and operational supervision and control over the PNPA that is envisioned “to effectively address current dysfunctions and reforms and innovations in the police training programs.”

The PNP chief explained that the transfer is among the salient provisions of Republic Act 11279 enacted on 12 April 2019 that aims to achieve the goals of a highly efficient and competent police force.

Albayalde said the transfer is expected to further enhance the police training curriculum which will hopefully translate to the production of better police officers with utmost competency, high moral fiber and respect for human rights.

“It’s high time that we take full responsibility of the training of our police officers in order to effectively address current dysfunctions and as well as to instill an advent of new trainings to become more efficient and disciplined law enforcers of the land,” Albayalde said.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said that the turn-over of the PNPA to the PNP will also beef up its ongoing internal cleansing efforts.

The PNPA is the country’s premier police training institution and the primary source of police commissioned officers who undergo a four-year cadetship baccalaureate program on public safety.

“In short, we now cover everything that makes a complete police officer, from recruitment to retirement,” Banac said.

With the transfer of the police academy to the PNP, Banac said the police organization will now be accountable for the entire gamut of responsibility from recruitment, education, field training and deployment of police officers.

Apart from PNP, graduates of PNPA are also admitted as officers of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology and the Bureau of Fire Protection.

The PNP is currently at the forefront of its internal cleansing campaign to rid the organization of police scalawags that taint the image of organization.

Albayalde said the PNP is also set to take over on 7 October, the National Police Training Institute (NPTI) in Calamba, Laguna which undertakes basic training for police recruits of the PNP and other in-service mandatory training courses.

Meanwhile, the five-year transition plan of the PNPA and NPTI transfer is underway for revision of the table of organization and equipment, even staffing pattern before submission to the Department of Budget and Management for approval.