Bartolome: PNP to recruit 10,000 police officers every year

MANILA, Philippines - Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Nicanor Bartolome wants to recruit 10,000 police officers every year to achieve the ideal ratio of one policeman for 500 citizens.

But even if recruitment holds up, that ratio will be reached only after 10 years.

Policemen are serving but 12 hours a day and the ratio varies, depending on the population and the peace and order situation in a certain province, he added.

Bartolome said the number of police personnel in a station or province depends on the climate of peace in a particular area.

“The ideal ratio is 1:500,” he said. “Right now we are in need of policemen (because) our ratio varies from province to province.

“On the average is 1:700 more or less, but that is if policemen will perform on a 24-hour duty. We divide it by two, because we already serve 12 hours a day that means one is to 1,400.”

Bartolome said policemen nationwide number 140,000, securing over 95.8 million people based on the latest records of the National Statistical Coordinating Board (NSCB)

“If we recruit 10,000 a year by 2021 we can have the ideal ratio of one is to 500,” he said.

Bartolome said the average PNP hiring yearly is only 6,000 policemen.

The quota yearly covers 3,000 for rookies and 3,000 for those who will retire resigned and get dismissed.

“So effectively we are only increasing 3,000 a year, and if we go by that rate we will need I think another 30 years or in 2040 to reach the one is to 500 ratio,” he said.

Bartolome said the PNP had just recruited 5,200 policemen, who have taken their oath.

“We are again looking for 2,000 plus until the end of this month,” he said. “Hopefully, we can still recruit so that by next year we will just need 6,000 by the end of July.”