Mandaue police form ‘quick response team’

MORE police hotline numbers will be posted in conspicuous areas in Mandaue City.

Four motorcycle-riding policemen will also be fielded in each police station, reinforced with anti-crime volunteers.

These services aim to maintain the low crime rate in the city under the new Immediate Police Action on Crime and Threat (Impact) program, said Senior Supt. Petronelli Baldebrin, who took over as Mandaue City police chief last Oct. 8.

The new program aims to improve the response of police to emergencies, said Baldebrin in a briefing yesterday.

One of Baldebrin’s marching orders to the Mandaue police was to intensify anti-illegal gambling operations.

He ordered the six police stations in Mandaue to arrest at least two persons involved in illegal gambling activities.

For this month, Baldebrin said the Mandaue police force conducted 85 anti-illegal gambling operations where 32 individuals were arrested.

Of this number, 23 of the arrested persons were charged in court.

Baldebrin admitted that the police have a hard time arresting financiers or coordinators of illegal gambling due to lack of evidence.

Most of those arrested were caught for possession of illegal gambling paraphernalia./CORRESPONDENTS FE MARIE D. DUMABOC AND JUCELL MARIE P. CUYOS