Lapu police chief eyes monthly trainings

ASIDE from the Annual General Inspection (AGI), the Lapu-Lapu City Police Office (LLCPO) plans to hold monthly training exercise to improve their capabilities in responding to emergencies.

Senior Supt. Rey Lyndon Lawas, chief of the LLCPO, came up with the idea after noticing minor lapses in several drills conducted as part of the AGI.

“For now, we will make it one of our focus on mastering our duties in order to give a better if not the best service to the public,” Lawas said.

Inspectors gave the LLCPO a “very satisfactory rating” during the conduct of yesterday’s exercises such as fire drill, earthquake drill, dismantling and assembly of firearms, conduct of checkpoint, responding to hostage and bank robbery, arresting a crime suspect, bomb detonation and crowd dispersal control.

Lawas said there were times when some personnel failed to follow the operating procedures.

Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza was present during the inspection.

Supt. Niño David Rabaya, the Directorate for Police Community Relations in the Philippine National Police Headquarters in Camp Crame, led the inspecting team from Camp Crame.

Rabaya said the results of the inspection will be released on Thursday after all the inspections in Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Cebu cities. The drills included how the policemen would defend their headquarters from terrorist attacks.

Mandaue police completed a hostage drill in one and a half hour. The drill was conducted at the corner of Burgos Street and Andres Soriano Avenue in sitio Tribunal, barangay Centro where four men posing as bank robbers held hostage two persons.

Supt. Renato Dugan, deputy city director for administration, served as the chief negotiator.

The drill was participated by personnel of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP). An ambulance from Mandaue City Hospital was also on standby.

Dugan said Mandaue police executed the drills well.

In Cebu City, Senior Supt. Mariano Natu-el said minor demerits were noted in the inspection of 11 police stations in the city.

The inspection was conducted by Supt. Alma Teresita Opilanio, one of the inspectors from Camp Crame.

Natu-el said there were some policemen who wore defective uniforms and some personnel were unable to cut their hair.

AGI is conducted yearly to test the ability of the police in responding to hostage-taking incidents, weapons handling proficiency and the efficiency of their system in their offices.

The result of the general inspection of different police offices in the region will be collated on Friday at the Police Regional Office in Central Visayas./Correspondents Norman V. Mendoza and Tweeny M. Malinao and reporter Jucell Marie P. Cuyos