PRO8 targets “zero crime” rate as SY 2013-2014 starts

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
June 3, 2013

CAMP KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte – After ensuring the peaceful midterm elections, the Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) has shifted its focus to the opening of classes as the entire police force in Eastern Visayas was placed on heightened alert status wherein an estimated 1.2 million students troops to various public schools in the region as school year 2013-2014 formally starts Monday.

PRO8 director PCSupt. Elmer Ragadio Soria informed that Police Assistance Desks (PADs) were established in different schools regionwide as intensified Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS) is continuously conducted in different schools, campus, and universities particularly in Tacloban City and other urban cities where huge volume of students are expected to converge.

“We plan to achieve a ‘zero crime incidence’ as school officials and students returns to schools,” said Soria, “Aside from securing them, we want also to prevent the occurrence of any untoward incidents in nearby areas”.

Uniformed policemen will conduct mobile and foot patrol along traffic routes leading to different institutions of learning and within the immediate vicinity of school premises, aside from assisting the traffic enforcement groups to help smoothen the flow of traffic.

PRO8 has prepared security plans to ensure that crimes usually committed during the opening of classes will be minimized, if not totally eradicated, Soria assured.

Aside from ensuring peace and order, police personnel manning the PADs would also coordinate with school officials in handling and guiding the anticipated surge of students and pupils and ensure the smooth resumption of classes.

Flyers on safety and crime prevention tips have been distributed to parents and students during the enrolment period the past two weeks, Soria said.

Notwithstanding the security preparations, Soria advised the public, especially parents and students, to remain vigilant and observe precautionary measures to avoid being victims of petty crimes, like theft, pick pocketing and snatching.

Soria earlier ordered the deployment of anti-illegal drug operatives near school premises to ensure that the school environment would be free of pushers and users who may influence students and introduce them to illegal drugs.