Lapu-Lapu cop chief links strict quarantine measures to drop in crime volume
Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) personnel ask individuals caught on the street during the curfew hours to board the police mobile patrol and were brought to the police station. | Photo Courtesy of LLCPO (file photo)
CEBU CITY, Philippines — Police patrols and strict implementation of quarantine protocols have helped bring down the crime volume in Lapu-Lapu City in July this year by half the number of crimes as compared to the same period last year.
Police Colonel Clarito Baja, Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) chief, said the city only recorded 20 index crimes and 86 non-index crimes this July as compared to July 2019’s 57 index crimes and 166 non index crimes.
The index crimes are crimes that are often committed and include rape, murder, homicide, physicial injury, carnapping, theft and robbery while the non-index crimes are those crimes committed that can be covered under special laws like illegal logging or ordinances.
“Strict implementation nato sa quarantine violation. Dili man sila mka basta-basta og gawas,” said Baja on the reduction of index crimes in July this year.
(Strict implementation of quarantine violation. They (the residents) cannot just easily go out of their homes.)
Baja said that the index crime for 2020 has declined to 64.9 percent while the non-index crime declined to 48.2 percent.
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He said the arrests made from illegal gambling operations and other municipal ordinances were the reason non-index crimes were higher in July this year.
“Although naa sa pandemic atoang gihapon gipang hingosgan,” said Baja.
(Although there is a pandemic, we still continue with our operations against these crimes.)
Baja also attributed the police mobility and more policemen at the quarantine control points when community quarantine statuses were implemented.
Her said their random patrols in coordination with the barangay police have also been helpful in deterring crimes./dbs
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