FOR ONE YEAR: Police chiefs safe from new mayors

CEBU, Philippines - Newly installed town and city mayors may be itching to relieve their police chiefs for loyalty to the previous administration, but a National Police Commission (Napolcom) circular prohibits this, an official said yesterday.

National Police Commission 7 Assistant Regional Director Jose Concepcion, Jr. cited Napolcom Memorandum Circulars 2001-10 and 2008-1-12, which prohibits the replacement of police chiefs within one year from the assumption of a new elected official.

 “A change in leadership does not necessarily mean that one has to replace the incumbent police chief, unless there is a cause,” Concepcion said in yesterday’s Talakayan sa Isyung Pulis (TSIP) forum.

 However, a grave or simple misconduct made by the police official could be a cause for his replacement, Concepcion clarified.

 For its part, the Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 is appealing to the newly elected mayors to look first at the services their chiefs of police have given their respective municipalities before asking for the relief of the police leaders.

 PRO 7 Director Lani-o Nerez said this after reports that some new mayors in the region have expressed their desire to replace their incumbent police chiefs.

 Nerez asked the mayors to consider the retention of the current police chiefs by looking at their performance rather than service or loyalty to the previous administration.

 “The primary job of the police is to maintain peace and order regardless of who is sitting as mayor. We urge the newly-elected officials to retain their chiefs of police,” according to Nerez.   (FREEMAN NEWS)