New PNP chief, Police Director General Ricardo Marquez speaks before participants of the 2015 APEC Summit contingency planning meeting at the Elizabeth Hotel in Cebu City. (CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)
THE top police official of the country is asking policemen to go back to the basics of policing which is to patrol the streets.
“Pag may police dun sa kalsada, wala pa siyang ginagawa, nakatindig pa lang, obviously crime will not happen, paano pa kaya kung meron pa siyang gagawin at nakikipag-usap sa mga tawo (If the police are on the streets, though he is just standing there, obviously crime will not happen, how much more if we do something and engage people in a conversation),” said Director General Ricardo Marquez, PNP chief, during his speech last Friday at the contingency management planning for the APEC meetings in Cebu.
The high-ranking police official said he is eyeing to develop a patrol plan to intensify police visibility as beat patrolling is the “backbone of the police.” Marquez said it will be a way to strengthen the relationship between the police and the community to gain back their trust and confidence. It will also help police officers to lose weight especially those who prefer to work in the office.