Checkpoints, patrols help bring crimes down

The constant checkpoints, patrols around the city, backtracking of criminal cases to profile suspects on how they operate, are among the reasons the crime rate in Mandaue City for November went down.

Crimes involving firearms went down to four incidents in November from eight cases in September and October, said Insp. Michael Anthony Bastes, head of the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB).

Bastes said there were only 24 crime incidents last November or 13 incidents less than in September and October where there were 37 cases.

crimes

Bastes said the crime cases included crimes involving firearms, carnapping, burglaries, and robberies.

Bastes said yesterday that there were four incidents involving motorcycle-riding men in Sept. and went down to three in October and November.

Identifying crime-prone areas and focusing their efforts in these areas also helped bring the crime rate down.

Bastes said Centro, Casuntingan, and Basak police stations were the crime-prone areas because these areas had a large population.

He also cited Casuntingan being the boundary of Cebu City and Mandaue City as the reason for the crimes in that barangay.

“Dali raman kaayo maka agi-agi dinha kay boundary baya ang Mandaue ug Cebu city (It’s easier to pass that area because it’s the boundary og Mandaue and Cebu City),” Bastes said.

20 motorbikes

Also yesterday, Mandaue City police chief said the 20 motorcycles donated by Norkis Group of Companies.

“Being in the business sector, we can see the needs of the city government and this time we prefer to assist them in maintaining peace and order by giving this motorcycles for additional mobility, we want other businessess to have confidence of the city’s governance system.” said Norberto Quisumbing, chairman of the Norkis Group of Companies.

Quisumbing said this was their way to celebrate the firm’s 50th anniversary.

Mayor Jonas Cortes, who received the donation, said the motorcycles would be distributed to the police and traffic enforcers to help them keep peace and order and traffic in the city especially with the increasing population of the city.

big help

Mandaue City Police Chief Petronelli Baldebrin said that with the motorcycles he could add more units to Task Force Motorsiklo to patrol the city and as part of the the first responders together with the SWAT.

“This is a big help in deterring crimes in the city,” said Senior Superintendent Baldebrin./Correspondents Jucell Marie P. Cuyos and Norman V. Mendoza