(Image courtesy of Bacolod City Police Office)
BACOLOD CITY – The Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) has reached out to the LGBTQ+ community here to become its partner in the anti-criminality campaign.
LGBTQ+ is an acronym that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning and more.
Col. Noel Aliño, police city director, said on Friday the initiative called “Bacolod (B)-PLUS” is another best practice in crime prevention to be implemented by the BCPO under his watch.
“Under ‘B- PLUS’, the BCPO shall ensure that the fundamental rights of the LGBQT+ community to equality are protected. The members of LGBTQ+ shall be our allies in maintaining peace and order in Bacolod City,” he said in a statement.
Aliño said he has initially talked to some members of the community, who are grateful for the opportunity to be recognized by the Philippine National Police as partners in promoting peace and order.
“They are considered outcasts. They want to help, they just don’t know how to participate. It’s time to give them a voice as partners in the programs and projects of the police. Anyone can participate as long as he or she is not a lawbreaker. There is no politics involved,” he added.
The BCPO chief said the LGBQT+ community can assist the police by serving as its informers.
“They can be a big help, they can be my informers. There will be confidentiality since they can directly send to me the information they have on the criminal elements in Bacolod,” he said.
Aliño also said the implementation of the projects under “B-PLUS” is expected to raise awareness of the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and encourage the city’s constituents to advance their causes as well.
“The program is intended to strengthen ties between the police and the LGBTQ+ community to provide a safe and supportive environment for all Bacolodnons. We encourage them to actively participate as anti-crime crusaders and partner with BCPO in the ‘B- PLUS ’-related projects,” he added. (PNA)
