Community backs LCPO's crime prevention dialogues

Over 700 peace advocates from Lapu-Lapu City have joined the “Tsip Tok” dialogues of the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LCPO) since the program started early 2023.

Patrolman Davin Charles Estañero of the City Community Affairs Development Unit (CCADU) Police NonCommission Officer (PNCO) and the focal person of “Tsip Tok” told The Freeman that yesterday alone, 200 peace advocates joined the dialogue held at the Lapu-Lapu Sports Complex.

Tsip Tok is a new and innovative peace and order program by LCPO Director PCOL Elmer Lim in the barangays to reduce the threat of potential crimes by openly reaching out to neighborhood toughies and those in the watchlist of the barangay anti-drug councils.

Through the Tsip Tok (chief talk but spelled as Tok because of the trending social media platform Tik Tok), the LCPO under the leadership of Lim holds regular open dialogues with these groups of individuals as identified by their respective barangay officials, to establish bond and camaraderie, to monitor their activities, and to demonstrate an overall friendly but authoritative presence in the localities to prevent them from resorting to violence or crime.

As an anti-crime prevention program, other stakeholders are present during the Tsip Tok dialogues, including businessmen and force multipliers, among others.

Instead of regarding them as adversaries, the LCPO’s Tsip Tok program aims to transform these individuals into “peace advocates” and force multipliers, and partners of the police in maintaining peace and order and preventing crimes.

“The program's objectives are to improve public cooperation and communication, as well as responsiveness to public safety concerns and tactics that try to lower the likelihood of crimes happening,” said Estañero.

The LCPO’s Tsip Tok Program and Community Outreach Program are led by PMAJ Karen Bancoleta, chief of CCADU, and PLTCOL Junnel Caadlawon, the deputy city director for Operations.-Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon/ATO