KICK-OFF RITES. Lawyer Renoir Baldovino (left), agent in charge of the National Bureau of Investigation - Bacolod District Office, and Lt. Col. Wilfredo Abordo, deputy police provincial director for administration attend the kick-off rites of the National Crime Prevention Week at the Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano grounds on Thursday (Sept. 1, 2022). Baldovino called on police personnel to include the public in preventing crimes, saying crime prevention is everybody’s business. (Photo courtesy of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office)
BACOLOD CITY – Personnel of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (NOCPPO) were urged to engage the public to prevent crimes as the country marks National Crime Prevention Week from September 1 to 7.
The challenge was issued by Renoir Baldovino, agent in charge of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) - Bacolod District Office, who was the guest of honor and speaker during the event’s kick-off rites at the Camp Alfredo M. Montelibano grounds here on Thursday.
“Let us work together. Let us include the public in our effort to prevent crimes from happening. Let us enjoin the people because after all, crime prevention is everybody’s business,” Baldovino said.
He noted that law enforcers must establish a good rapport with the public.
“If we gain the trust of the public, they report the crime to us. Our informants come from the public,” he added.
Baldovino cited the need to continually improve intelligence gathering, noting that law enforcement also needs the cooperation of the public.
“We obtain information from them regarding the commission of crimes. Good intelligence work will lead us to better performance in the area of crime prevention,” he said.
The NBI-Bacolod chief also underscored the importance of police visibility operations.
“Let us increase police visibility in our communities. If they see us around, these criminal elements will think twice (about committing a crime). Our presence is a deterrent,” he said.
Baldovino said as businesses continue to reopen, more people leave their homes to earn a living, and students return to face-to-face classes amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, the law enforcement sector is faced with the challenge of keeping the communities safe more than ever.
“(This is) so that people can do their work free from harm and children going back to school are protected,” he added.
Lt. Col. Wilfredo Abordo, deputy provincial director for administration, spearheaded the NOCPPO kick-off ceremony while Mae Diamante, administrative assistant V of the National Police Commission’s provincial office, led the ceremonial whistle-blowing to mark the opening of the week-long event.
This year’s National Crime Prevention Week themed “Sa New Normal, Sambayanan Magtulungan, Krimen ay Hadlangan Tungo sa Kapayapaan at Kaunlaran”, highlights the cooperation of the community to combat crimes while the society is recovering from the effects of the pandemic. (PNA)
