Police reform must outlast leaders

Police reform is easy to promise but difficult to sustain. For the Philippine National Police (PNP), the real test is whether accountability reaches every level of the organization and whether Filipinos can trust those sworn to protect them.

Under PNP Chief Police General Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr., the organization has reported significant disciplinary action against its personnel. In August 2026, the PNP said 1,337 officers had been dismissed since he assumed leadership.

Meanwhile, National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) vice chairperson and executive officer Rafael Vicente Calinisan helped resolve a backlog of around 4,000 administrative cases accumulated over more than 25 years.

Both deserve credit for confronting problems that had lingered for years. But these accomplishments should be the beginning of lasting reform, not reasons to declare the job finished.

I first met Nartatez when he was the provincial director of the Ilocos Norte Police Provincial Office. I was a young boy then, but I remember his serious face and strong personality.

In our few sit-downs over the years, I found him modest and humble, yet firm and direct. He carefully chooses the people around him, values sound judgment, and wants the job done. He is a no-nonsense public servant who takes his responsibilities seriously.

That personal experience informs my appreciation of his leadership. Still, public officials must remain open to scrutiny, and the ultimate measure of reform is whether the public feels the difference.

The public does not experience reform through press releases or statistics. It experiences reform through the officer who responds to a complaint, the investigator who takes a case seriously, and the policeman who protects citizens instead of intimidating them.

Officers who extort, abuse their authority, neglect legitimate complaints, or use their badges to threaten citizens betray the public and disgrace the uniform. They also undermine colleagues who serve honestly.

The badge is not a license to abuse power. Officers found responsible for misconduct must face appropriate consequences, regardless of rank or connections. Supervisors who tolerate wrongdoing must also answer for failures under their command. Due process is essential, but it must not become an excuse for endless delays.

Police reform must also include how law enforcement communicates with the public. In some areas, journalists have raised concerns about difficulties obtaining incident reports and photographs, even when the information concerns matters of legitimate public interest.

There are understandable reasons to withhold certain details, particularly when minors, victims, or ongoing investigations are involved. But protecting confidential information should not automatically mean withholding every detail that can responsibly be disclosed.

The media is not the enemy. Journalists ask questions because the public deserves answers. Police offices can protect sensitive information while providing timely accounts of incidents and explaining what authorities are doing.

When legitimate inquiries receive little explanation, speculation can fill the information gap. Clear and professional communication, on the other hand, helps the public understand events and strengthens confidence in law enforcement.

Nartatez is expected to retire in March 2027. His remaining months are crucial. He must ensure that his successor inherits more than statistics and accomplishments. The next Chief must inherit systems that investigate complaints promptly, discipline erring officers fairly, support honest policemen, and maintain constructive relations with the public.

Calinisan faces a similar challenge: sustaining the resolution of administrative cases and preventing another backlog from accumulating.

Both officials deserve recognition for moving accountability forward. Their greatest contribution, however, would be establishing standards that survive changes in leadership.

Police officers perform difficult and sometimes dangerous work. Those who serve honorably deserve respect. But respect must be earned through integrity, professionalism, and service.

Nartatez and Calinisan have helped set the pace. Now the challenge is to make that progress permanent.

Their legacy will ultimately depend on whether accountability continues after they leave and whether every officer understands that the uniform is a responsibility to the people, never a privilege to abuse.