PNP needs more crime lab cops

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) needs 12 medico-legal officers for its Crime Laboratory and is willing to waive the height requirement for would-be police officers, an official said yesterday.

Chief Superintendent Liza Sabong, PNP crime lab chief, said they have yet to recruit 12 to fill vacancies in 2012.

“At present, there are only six applicants, of which only one has satisfied all the qualification requirements. The other five applicants are either overage or underheight,” Sabong added.

Male applicants must be at least 5’4” tall while females should be at least 5’2” in height and applicants of both sexes must be between 21 to 30 years old.

Sabong said she sought the help of the PNP’s Directorate for Police Community Relations to disseminate the information.

According to the PNP’s lateral entry program, doctors, dentists, optometrists, nurses, engineers, graduates of forensic sciences and criminologists are qualified to join the police force.

The PNP also encourages lawyers, pilots, psychologists and information technology graduates to be police officers.

A rookie police officer receives a basic salary of as much as P18,000 per month. Doctors and other professionals usually are given a rank of Inspector – with a salary of at least P28,000 – upon entering the PNP.

The PNP said it gives every police officer the opportunity to pursue further studies in the country or abroad and specialize in the fields of investigation, forensics, intelligence and other areas of law enforcement.