POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS

POLICY:

It is declared policy of the State that the Philippine National Police shall be
the community and service oriented agency responsible in the maintenance of
peace and order and public safety.

RATIONALE:

The fight against all forms of crimes is not the sole responsibility of the law
enforcement agency but requires the indispensable participation and support of
the citizenry.

A sustained police community relations strengthens the foundation of good

working relationship between the members of the community, the NGOs and the
civil society and the police as partners towards the attainment of a peaceful and
progressive community based on the fundamental principle that “crime prevention
is everybody’s concern”.

OBJECTIVES:

1) To develop harmonious relationship between the police and the community

in handling peace and order and public safety;

2) To promote public trust and confidence in the PNP by sustaining programs,

projects and activities for the benefit of the community;

3) To enhance public awareness and community involvement in the over-all

missions and functions of the police; and

4) To strengthen linkages with other pillars of the Criminal Justice System,

media, government agencies, non-governmental organizations and other
sectoral organizations.

CONCEPT OF POLICE COMMUNITY RELATIONS:

Police Community Relations is a continuing and evolving effort of enhancing

relationship between the police and the community in addressing various issues
affecting peace and order, public safety, criminal justice, law enforcement and
community welfare through:

a) Community Organizing and Mobilizing – This aims to generate community

partnerships and forge a united front for the promotion of peace and order
and development. It is designed to unify and harmonize the efforts of all PCR
Units and to encourage broad networking coordination and integration of all
related undertakings within the PNP, LGUs, various sectoral groups and
people’s organizations. Promotion of greater participation and involvement of
the citizenry in crime prevention and other peace and order and public safety
initiatives shall be pursued through the following:

1) Advocacy/Awareness/Education

 Face to Face Interaction

 Lectures
 Seminars
  Symposium
 Attendance to Relevant for a Drama and other Presentations

 Multi-media Interactions

 Print
 Broadcast (Radio)
 Television

 Information Technology-Based Media

2) Organizing/Networking

 Sectoral Groups
 Council of Community Elders
 Civilian Volunteer Organizations
 Other Concerned NGOs

3) Mobilizing/Community Partnership

 Text-A-Crime
 Text-An-Accident
 Candle for Peace
 Variety Rallies
 Adopt-A-Barangay
 Clean and Green Programs
 Youth Gang Prevention
 Family/Domestics Violence Prevention
 Juvenile Delinquency Prevention

b) Information Operation – This a deliberate synchronized and concerted effort

to inform the public of the activities, programs and accomplishments of the
PNP. It aims to enhance the trust, support and cooperation of the citizenry
in contributing to the attainment of the national vision for peace and
development. It also aims to develop a favorable public attitude towards the
PNP and the deepening of public appreciation to the growing political,
social and economic dimensions of national security.

Among others, the following strategies shall be implemented to

intensify PCR information efforts of the PNP

1) Police Information and Education;

2) Seminars, lectures, value formation and other trainings;

3) Dissemination of memo circulars, Directives and other guidelines;

4) Linkage with Opinion-Makers and Key Communicators;

5) Conduct of People’s Day;

6) Establishment of Community Contact Centers;

7) Establishment of Feedback Mechanism; and

8) Advocacy thru Information Technology (IT).

ROLE OF THE PNP MEMBER:

Every Police Officer regardless of the nature of his work/assignment must

project himself as a Police Community Relations Officer and Change Agent of Peace
and Development based on the statement and the principle that “The Police are
the Public and the Public are the Police”.

MONITORING AND EVALUATION:

1) Survey; and
2) Formulation of Data Base System

MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS:

The PNP shall observe the Police Community Relations month in January of
every year pursuant to the Presidential Proclamation Number 783 dated April 12,
1998 “Declaring the Month of January of Every Year as Police Community
Relations Month”. Thus, all PNP National, Regional, Provincial, Districts, Stations,
Precincts are required to undertake programs, projects and activities within their
respective area of operation. Thereafter, a report shall be submitted to the PNP and
copy furnished the National Police Commission.

A key ingredient to Community Oriented Policing System is Police

Community Relations. This is to say that if it is true that the PNP Community
Oriented Policing efforts have worked, then this should result into a dynamic and
sustained community involvement.

THE DOCTRINE OF RECIPROCAL RESPONSIBILITY:

The police on their own cannot effectively prevent and control crime. They
need indispensable participation of the citizenry in their anti-crime campaign. This
is due to the concept that “Crime is Everybody’s Business”. That the community
must help in eradicating the causes of Criminality, Poverty, Ignorance,
Injustices/Abuses, Soft State, Fear, Lost of Family Values, Violence, Urban
Migration, Over Population, and Unemployment.

There are two (2) key elements which plays major role in peace and order
effort; the POLICE and the PUBLIC.

The POLICE functions are the following:

1) Prevent (opportunity) – crime detection and prevention, emergency service

and order maintenance;

2) Dissuade (intent) – investigation efforts must be effective to gain information

through interviews and interrogations; and

3) Restrain (capability) – restrain activities aim to neutralize the perpetrators by

manhunts, arrest searches, raids, case build-up and prosecution.

The PUBLIC shares are the following:

1) Preventing policing (I refuse to be a victim) – the public joins in neighborhood

watch, emergencies services or disaster coordinating efforts, civic action s
and environment protection;
 2) Persuasive policing (I refuse to be a criminal) – The public maintains good
citizenship, build strong family ties, strives for good quality of life, and
exemplifies moral uprightness; and

3) Self-policing (I refuse to be a violent) – volunteers as witnesses and partners

in filing cases, refuses commission of abuse and other public disturbance,
and must follow rules.

COMMUNITY ORIENTED POLICING SYSTEM (COPS)

CONCEPT:

The New Cops on the Block Project is a proactive approach in the

maintenance of law and order. It is a round the clock deployment of several
policemen confines at the Block to provide police and public safety services to the
satisfaction of the constituency. If recognizes the fact that it can only succeed if
there is public acceptance and support. The Project thus becomes responsibility of
both by the police and the community.

OBJECTIVES:

1) To enhance police visibility in order to reach out the community to serve the
residents policing needs;

2) To improve police community relations and to gain public acceptance, build

mutual respect and trust and promote cooperation; and

3) To attain sustained and integrated Police Community participation an crime

prevention and suppression.

ACTIVITIES:

1) Block Box – the command and control of its activities and as the police base
from which citizens may seek police assistance whether in person, by radio
or telephone;

2) Patrol - -will provide round the clock patrolling to keep watch over the
assigned area;

3) House visitation - -Police Officers on patrol visit every home and work place
to offer crime prevention advice and recognized crime watch group;

4) Street Questioning – Police Officers on patrol may interview with the bounds
of the law as a deterrent to persons who intend to commit a crime; and

5) Police Social Services – it concerns a wide variety of activities such as

physical fitness and sport development, environmental conservation “clean
and Green”, value formation and education, and livelihood projects.