Quezon City is the largest city and has the densest population in the Philippines with a population of 3,238,343 in a land area of 161.1 km2, divided into 142 barangays.
With its massive population, the posing threat in public safety and order would be imminent and out of control if no effective intervention of law enforcement body is in place. The role of the Philippine National Police, the nation’s premier law enforcement agency, is critical in maintaining not only peace and order in the community, but also the relationship among various sectors of society.
Police Brigadier General Nicolas D. Torre III, the District Director of Quezon City Police District (QCPD) of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), proved just that in a face-to-face interview with the members of the PNP Editorial Board led by Police Captain Myleen D. Lacambra and members from the Revitalized PNP KASIMBAYAN Mentoring and Cascading Team led by PCPT Jonathan T. Reyes on March 23, 2023.
When PBGen Torre III was asked about the police effort towards public order and safety interventions in Quezon City, he simply and confidently presented the data of its 1st Quarter 2023 Average Crime Solution Rate of 92.73%.
During this stark leadership, QCPD posted an impressive 2023 Crime Solution Rate of 93.75% in January; 93.79% in February; and 90.65% in March.
The District’s Crime Index Stat that includes the eight focus crimes – murder, homicide, physical injury, rape, robbery, theft, vehicular theft and motorcycle theft – tallied only160 counts in January; 161 in February; and 139 in March.
QCPD has identified three factors that contribute to the city’s low crime rate: the effectiveness of the three-minute police response time policy implemented through the Integrated Command and Control Center (IC3); the widespread use of the QCitizen Helpline 122, an enhanced emergency hotline that aids during emergencies, as well as a complaint and feedback mechanism from its callers; and the regularity with which simulation exercises and constant monitoring of identified crime-prevention strategies are carried out.
In a real-time demonstration to prove the veracity of the Helpline’s capability, the group of interviewers was brought to the IC3 by PBGen Torre II, together with Deputy District Director for Administration of QCPD, Police Colonel Fernando Ortega, which is located in Camp BGen Tomas B. Karingal, Diliman in Quezon City.
He [QCPD District Director] presented the District Office’s IC3, a room filled with multiple floor-to-ceiling panels of screen showing live views from the body cameras of police patrollers. Randomly he asked one of the interviewers to provide a name and a specific location for the operators on the ground to respond to.
When the location was coordinated to the patrollers, the three-minute mark started to tick. The nearest responding troop was quick to mobilize to the said location, urgently speeding up to respond. Lo and behold! Before the clock ticks three and to the amazement of everyone, the responding team was already positioned in front of the marked location, readily responding to the subject person. A true feat of police quick response.
Another demonstration of QCPD’s project that certainly made a statement was the QCPD’s Drone Squadron used for surveillance and other operations pertaining to police works, first deployed during the Undas 2022.
A drone was put to operation during the course of the interview right after the incredible three-minute response. The nimble demonstration of the unit shows the usefulness to possess the ability to reach areas by just merely controlling the drone remotely.
Nevertheless, these reliable and commendable projects would only be ineffective without the great trust from the community that QCPD has sworn to serve and protect further reinforced with the implementation of the PNP KASIMBAYANAN – the flagship community organizing and mobilization program of PNP Chief Police General Rodolfo S. Azurin, Jr. Said program represents the synergistic collaboration between the police, the church and the community to bring about a comprehensive change towards nation building by tapping volunteers and church leaders to bridge the gap between the community and law enforcers.
The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 20th of February 2023 in Quezon City Hall, adapting the implementation of KASIMBAYANAN between the Philippine National Police, the Quezon City Local Government headed by Mayor Ma. Josefina Tanya “Joy” G. Belmonte, and religious volunteers and leaders affirms the Police – Church – Community collaboration and partnership. This MOU further strengthened and improved the public’s trust to PNP.
Through this reinforced allegiance, the Philippine National Police, together with a number of community groups in Fairview, Quezon City, established and constructed, and furnished the KASIMBAYANAN Hall and Office at the QCPD Police Station 5 under the tutelage of Police Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth D. Jasmin, providing a place for change and opportunity of a better life for people like that of an out-of-school youth named Jeremy and a lone parent Mechay.
Jeremy is a 15-year-old out-of-school youth who is one of the beneficiaries of educational opportunities provided in the newly constructed KASIMBAYANAN Hall where regular classes were held through the volunteerism of well-meaning teachers.
Mechay, on the other hand, was helped through the active allegiance of KASIMBAYANAN by assisting her one way or the other with livelihood projects thereby changing her old ways from once illegally trading turtles that were illegally caught in one of the rivers in the area in order to be able to provide her children’s needs. PLtCol Jasmin, also known as the “Aleng Pulis ng Kyusi,” extended timely assistance to Mechay by finding ways for her to shift to just selling legally caught fish as one source of livelihood.
With all these at hand, the PNP KASIMBAYANAN may be said to have victoriously attained its core purpose in effecting positive change in the community; mobilizing the sector of faith-based denomination to hand-in-hand inspire inclusion and unity in society; and inculcating cohesive tri-sectoral linkages and reliance towards nation building.
