Governor Gwendolyn Garcia leads a flag-raising ceremony at the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO) in this September 2019 photo. (Photo by Cebu Provincial Government)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — “We already won the trust and hearts of the community.”
This is what Police Colonel Roderick Mariano, the director of the Cebu Police Provincial Office (CPPO), had to say after the CPPO received the most number of awards during the 119th Police Service Anniversary celebration held last August 6, 2020 at the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas (PRO-7) Grandstand in Camp Sergio Osmeña Sr. here.
CPPO received seven awards, the most number of awards among police offices in Central Visayas.
These awards were the Best Police Provincial Office; Best Component City Police Station and Best Municipal Police Station awarded to Talisay City Police and Tuburan Police Station; Best Senior Police Commissioned Officer for Administration awarded to Colonel Mariano; Best Junior Police Commissioned Officer for Operations awarded to Police Lieutenant Colonel Randy Korret; Best Senior Non-Commissioned Officer for Operations for Police Master Sergeant Douglas Maravillas; and Best Senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer for Administration for Police Senior Master Sergeant Rowena A Santillan.
Mariano said the awards was a result of a better relationship between the police and the community.
He said that when he was assigned as the CPPO provincial director last July 2019, his main goal was to really gain back the trust of the community.
To be able to do this, he collaborated with his officers, the local government units and their advisory council on community projects that would be able to bring them closer to the people.
“I really wanted to engage of the community. Building the trust (of the community), that was my priority,” said Mariano.
With this, the personnel of CPPO were able to implement plans such as patrolling in identified areas with highest number of crimes and focused deployment in these areas, mainly to asses what problems the police could help solve to lessen the crime incidents.
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According to Mariano because of their plans and constant patrolling, they were able to get to know the people in the community and from there, they were able to engage in projects that helped them get closer to the community.
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Since they have been continually showing up in the community even in the most remote areas of the province, Mariano said their campaign against illegal activities improved as more people were now brave enough to report to police illegal activities happening in their areas.
“They are giving the information to us. That’s the most important thing. The trust of the community on the police,” said Mariano.
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Now that they have an established relationship with the community, Mariano said that a peaceful and safe environment is not an impossible dream. /bmjo