Soria hails “force multipliers” role in anti-crime drive

By RPCRD, Police Regional Office 8
October 15, 2012

CAMP SEC. RUPERTO K. KANGLEON, Palo, Leyte  –  Police Regional Office 8 (PRO8) Regional Director Police Chief Superintendent Elmer Ragadio Soria recognizes the important role of “force multipliers” in addressing the peace and order situation in their respective communities.

“My vision is for a more aggressive and stronger partnership between the police and the force multipliers in our drive against criminality as you play a crucial role in crime prevention and control operations.”, Soria addressed the 200 delegates during the 2nd Annual Regional Grand Assembly of the “Peace, Action and Rescue with Dedication to Serve the Society (PARDSS) anti-crime group held at the PRO8 Matapat Hall, Friday afternoon.

PARDSS is a PNP-accredited non-governmental organization with the prime mission of helping the PNP and the local government units in promoting peace, unity, public safety and development. It was awarded as the “Best Non-Government Organization for 2011” during the 111th Police Service Anniversary last August 8 at the PNP National Headquarters by PNP Chief Police Director General Nicanor Ancheta Bartolome.

During the summit, the PNP regional director underscored the crucial role of the force multipliers in crime prevention and control operations at the community levels.

Soria admitted that the police may not be able to cover every nook and cranny of the country in patrol operations considering the limited number of PNP personnel. In order to address these deficiencies, the PNP adopted a proactive strategy that will maximize and encourage community involvement and fully harness and promote community partnership as the ideal, most practical and mutually beneficial antidote to criminality and maintenance of peace and order.

“There is an impending need to activate force multipliers from the community and established an effective community machinery policing system through community partnership”, Soria further averred, adding that PRO-8 recognizes the major role of active partners like PARRDS in keeping Eastern Visayas peaceful.

“The community relies upon the police for protection and the police rely upon the community for support. Crime is everybody’s concern and public safety is a shared responsibility”, the region’s top police official added.

Soria particularly expect members of said organization to perform such functions as partners in law enforcement like conducting street crime monitoring; community organization; disaster management and relief and rescue activities; crowd control; environmental protection and conflict resolution at the community level.

“We are confident that we can rely on you to be the eyes and ears of our crime reporting system as a critical component of the Police Integrated Patrol System or PIPS that PRO8 is religiously implementing.”, he added.

Since 2006, the PARDSS, with thousands of active members scattered throughout the country, has performed well in giving free assistance to the local policemen and local government units in its anti-crime drives, crime monitoring and securing peace and order.