NCRPO to start drive to cleanse 21 crime-prone areas

MANILA, Philippines - The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) will start this week its month-long campaign to rid 21-crime prone areas in the metropolis of crime, an official said yesterday.

Aside from securing homes of flood victims, NCRPO chief Director Alan Purisima said the station and precinct commanders of the 21 crime- prone areas should also conduct anti-crime duties.

“Even if it’s raining and the streets are flooded, they should be conducting anti-crime duties and prevent criminal elements from taking advantage of the situation,” he said.

Senior Superintendent Sotero Ramos Jr., NCRPO operations division chief, directed the 21 station and precinct commanders to submit their performance against crime every Friday as he warned them against tampering with their reports.

Ramos said elements of the NCRPO’s Regional Investigation and Detective Management Division would validate the police officials’ reports and those who failed to reduce crime incidents in their jurisdictions would be “voluntarily relieved.”

Purisima admitted that police visibility alone cannot reduce crimes in Metro Manila as he directed the District Police Intelligence and Operating Unit (DPIOU) to extend a helping hand in the effort.

“We should be one step ahead of criminal offenders. We should arrest them before they could commit crimes and the DPIOU should assist the 21 police officials in doing that,” said Purisima.

Earlier, Purisima directed the 21 police officials to come up with an “action plan” on how they would deal with the crime problem as “they are aware of the modus operandi employed by (criminals) in their area of responsibilities.”

By Aug. 31, Purisima expects the 21 officials of these crime-prone areas to have reduced crime rates, and those who are remiss would be immediately removed from their posts.