DAVAO CITY — Newly appointed Police Regional Office Commander Brigadier General Nicolas Torre III has set a high bar for the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), mandating a swift three-minute response time to eight major focus crimes.
During a recent visit to DCPO, Torre outlined his expectations in a meeting with the commanders of the city’s 21 police precincts. He emphasized the importance of rapid response to crimes such as murder, physical injury, homicide, car theft, motorcycle theft, theft, and rape.
“We are here to follow orders as we need to adhere to protocol,” said Captain Hazel Tuazon, spokesperson for the Davao City Police, confirming the feasibility of Torre’s directive.
Torre’s confidence in this strategy stems from his previous experience as the PNP’s communication chief, where he conducted a simulation exercise demonstrating the effectiveness of a rapid response approach.
Captain Tuazon mentioned that implementing the three-minute response rule will necessitate adjustments to the current work schedules. Currently, police officers in Davao City work 24-hour shifts followed by a day off. The new directive will change this to an eight-hour shift system with three rotations per day, aligning with Torre’s vision for quicker response times.
Davao City, the Philippines’ third most populous city with over 1.7 million residents, spans a vast area of 244,361 hectares. Despite its size and population, the city has only about 1,500 police personnel.
This staffing presents a significant challenge in meeting the three-minute response goal, especially in densely populated precincts like San Pedro, Sta. Ana, Buhangin, Talomo, and Toril, where fewer than 100 officers are stationed.
Resource Allocation and Geographic Challenges
The vast land area of Davao City includes remote districts such as Baguio, Paquibato, and Marilog, where rugged terrain can impede quick access.
A retired police officer noted that while the Central 911 system in Davao City has been pivotal in handling emergencies quickly, the logistics of relaying information from the 911 call center to the tactical operations center and then to the relevant precinct could eat into the three-minute window. He proposed that the response time should be measured when the concerned station receives the alert.
When Rodrigo Duterte was the mayor of Davao City, he implemented a unique solution to navigate the city’s challenging terrain by issuing horses to police precincts in the hinterlands, enabling officers to travel more efficiently across the rugged areas.
Comparisons and Strategic Insights
In Quezon City, precincts are often located closer together, facilitating faster response times. In contrast, the spread-out nature of Davao City, particularly in its rural barangays, poses a unique challenge.
Major precincts in Davao typically have three to four police mobiles, with two officers per mobile. This configuration implies that each shift would require at least six officers on patrol, resulting in 18 officers over three shifts daily. This rotation could potentially limit the number of officers available on the ground at any given time.
Community Cooperation and Feasibility
The success of Torre’s three-minute response initiative will depend not only on internal police efficiency but also on community cooperation. Often, police reports surface on social media before they are reported to the police station, highlighting the need for public awareness and prompt reporting.
Whether the ambitious three-minute response time is practical and effective remains to be seen. The police, with support from the community, will be the ultimate judge of its success. -with a report from Rhea Montecalvo
