Cooperation between the police and the community has contributed to the decline of crimes in the Summer Capital, according to the Baguio City Police Office. ALDWIN QUITASOL

BAGUIO CITY — The Baguio City Police Office (BCPO) notes there is a 38 percent decrease in the number of crimes in the City of Baguio.

According to BCPO chief Allen Rae Co, 1,184 incidents from January to November of 2019 compared to the 3,119 reported cases for the same period in 2018. He reported that incidents of physical injuries decreased by 12 percent; robbery by five percent; murder by 56 percent; homicide by 44 percent and carnapping or theft of motorcycles by 43 percent.

Co added that vehicular traffic accidents in the city lowered to 815 from last year’s 1,887 accidents or a significant decrease of 57 percent due to community cooperation, traffic scheme, safety protocols and measures implemented

“When the community trusts their policemen, when they have a high sense of confidence in them and cooperates fully with them, their policemen will be enabled, will feel better about themselves, thus perform better, work at their best and produce greater results,” Co said.

Co claims that BCPO’s various anti-criminality plans and programs like the intensified Oplan Somabat or the detailed patrol plan and guide where patrollers and mobile cars are roaming around their respective designated areas on specific periods of time resulted in the decrease of crime volume.

“This is based on data produced by the CIRAS (Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System) where deliberate deployment of police personnel along identified hotspots or focus areas during peak hours is implemented, bringing your policemen When and Where they are most needed,” Co said.

He added that BCPO conducts massive checkpoint operations to seal all ingress and egress to and from the city; deployment of special tourist police that additionally showcases Cordilleran culture and traditions; use of the Cobra Eye Command Center where prompt response is achieved as incidents are immediately spotted on CCTV; operationalization of specialized teams to respond to specific situations monitored by the tactical operations center and calls received for police assistance.