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A top police official
here in the Visayas confirmed reports that Bohol gets 110 more police officers,
but the reinforcement goes all the way to the country's first tourist police detachment
here. Nevertheless,
the local Philippine National Police (PNP) officials here admit the move would
be a great help as it largely contributes to police visibility at a time when
police and population ratio hangs at 1:1100. | Police
Regional Director Ronaldo Roderos confirmed reports that the new cops would be
deployed here, and they would be manning tourist police detachments set up in
key spots in the province. Aside
from the tourist cops, General Roderos also talked about the formation of a local
Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), which is impending. He
reported that the Bohol team is already on the neuro-psychiatric tests before
the formal training could commence. Outgoing
Police Director General Avelino Razon is slated to come to Bohol ext week to formally
launch the new SWAT team, Bohol Capitol sources revealed last week. It
was not clear however if the 110 new cops include those to be assigned at the
soon to be formed SWAT team.
At a press conference after the summit opening
ceremonies, PCSupt Roderos said "the PNP is mandated to provide the personnel
support" to the Bohol innovation in putting up tourist police detachments
in key tourism stops. The
tourist police is a new concept of community policing where cops would be deployed
in tourist areas both for crime prevention and for tourist assistance. The
tourist police is one of the main reasons why Central Visayas rates high in the
annual search for the country's best peace and order councils, said National Police
Commission Regional Director Bernardo Calibo, in an earlier interview. Roderos,
who along with Deputy Director General Jesus Versoza and still a handful; of key
police brass is attending the 5th National Biennial Summit on Women in Policing
at the Bohol Plaza Resort from September 11-13. The
confirmation also elicited positive response from the local police forces who
aired elation about the fact that police visibility especially in tourist circuits
is largely enhanced. Here,
with police force totally outnumbered in crime prevention ratio, residents have
asked for more police visibility as deterrent force to crimes. (rachiu/PIA) | 
