Osmeña lauds Garma over ‘good’ deployment of cops
The public can now expect more police visibility and mobility as the Cebu City government turned over one vehicle for Cebu City Police Office’s Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) yesterday.
At the turnover ceremony outside City Hall, Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he will let the police decide on how they will use the vehicle.
Osmeña vowed to provide more vehicles to the police organization charged to next year’s budget.
Also yesterday, the mayor lauded the deployment strategy of CCPO Director Senior Supt. Royina Garma who established police outposts in several streets in the city even during night time.
“That’s a deployment strategy. That’s good. That’s a positive change that I see. Hopefully, that will work,” the mayor told reporters.
Garma, for her side, thanked the city government for assisting them with the additional logistics like the Suzuki APV vehicle turned over to them.
She said it is the fifth vehicle given by the city government to the SWAT.
“Malaki ang maitutulong nito kasi we could easily move our personnel to where they are needed most. So, since alam natin na ang SWAT ay special unit, they will be mobilized and utilized in extreme cases and as last resort sa police response naming,” she told reporters.
Garma also welcomed the pronouncement of the mayor that the city will give more vehicles to the police next year considering that police stations also need vehicles to immediately respond to alarms.
As for the deployment of police officers, she said there will be additional officers who will be in the streets.
Garma said she requested City Councilor David Tumulak to provide 20 more police outposts in the streets so that additional 80 police officers will be deployed in two shifts.
“Yun po ang sinabi ko na there’s a psychological impact on the side of anybody na kung makakita ka ng police na nakatayo. Thank you naging positive ang response kaya gusto namin sana madagdagan ang outpost,” she said.
Garma said the public gives feedback through the police hotline expressing their appreciation on the installation of outposts with police officers in the streets.
As far as crime rates are concerned, she said she has to check the street crimes where the outposts are in place if there’s reduction.
As of now, she said she is also doing an inventory of the non-uniformed personnel that will be distributed to different offices so that all uniformed police will be deployed in the streets.
“So, I will be deploying more to prevent crimes because it’s difficult to solve crimes. It’s easier to prevent if they are visible and vigilant while they are conducting patrol,” she said.
Garma also asked the city government to formulate implementing rules and regulations as to the city ordinances like curfew and anti-noise so that the police have more teeth in implementing the laws.