AS Caloocan City was the recipient of 2014’s Most Peaceful City in Metro Manila distinction, an official Philippine National Police report for 2015 was released recently and it got the “most peaceful” mark anew.
The doubly-elated Mayor Oscar ‘Oca’ Malapitan says he would continue to support the local police by giving more patrol cars, back-to-back pick-up trucks and bicycles making the Caloocan City Police’s patrol fleet the most modern in the country.
Police stations were put up in strategic locations and policemen have been deployed in critical areas to ensure round-the-clock safety and protection of residents. “The hundreds of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras installed in ‘hot spot’ areas also helped a lot in lowering the crime rate of the city,” the mayor says.
The Caloocan PNP led by S/Supt. Bartolome Bustamante and the Malapitan administration have been looking on correct interventions designed to counter crimes and conceptualizing programmable, sustainable and deliberative projects to curb criminality.
The National Capital Region Police Office – Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division recent crime index report as underscored by Bustamante’s presentation, interpreted Caloocan as the most peaceful, orderly and improved city in MM in 2015.
The police chief reported that from 2293 recorded crime volume in 2014, the city has decreased the rate to 1619 crimes in 2015. This is 8.42% or the lowest noted crime rate in 2015 in Metro Manila.
As per breakdown of NCRPO-RIDMD monthly crime statistics report in 2015, on crimes committed against persons, murder decreased to 8% in December from its highest recorded rate of 18% in May; homicide declined to 2% from 6% in June; physical injury lowered to 30% from 39% in January; and rape cases reduced to 13% from 18% in the first month of the year.
Robbery incidences decreased to 24% in December from 42% in January. Theft lowered to 20% last Yuletide season from 54% of the year start. Motorcycle theft was reduced to 17% from 12% in August while car thefts depleted to 1% in December from 23% in October.
From 927 crimes registered on blotter books against persons in 2014, the number decreased to 29% or 656 in 2015. While from 1,366 crimes committed against property in 2014, 29% or 963 were reduced in 2015.
Same records form the city police showed a total of 1,787 arrested offenders of different crimes. 20 high-powered firearms and 104 low-powered firearms were confiscated while 93 unregistered motor vehicles and carriers have been in the custody of the local police.
On combat against illegal drugs, 398 persons were arrested from committing drug-related crimes.
Some 174.19 grams of shabu amounting to P2-million and P100,000 worth of marijuana were confiscated the previous year. GOOD RIDDANCE/ARLIE CALALO
