Valenzuela City police test ‘mini-stations’ on wheels

‘MOBILE BLOTTER DESK.’ One of the two VPOWs launched by the Valenzuela Police last week, a rolling police precinct that can serve both as a crime deterrent and an emergency response unit VALENZUELA PUBLIC INFO OFFICE

MANILA, Philippines—At first glance, they simply look like delivery vans that have just wheeled into your neighborhood.

But they are actually the latest project being tested by the Valenzuela City police.

Launched last week in partnership with the local government, the Valenzuela Police on Wheels (VPOW) project deployed two modified vans whose walls can be lifted to reveal a small but functional precinct inside.

These “mini-stations” are equipped with a laptop computer with printer, a megaphone and public address system, audio and video recorders, radios, medical kits and rescue gear, a DVD player and, of course, a “police blotter.”

And yes, they are also WiFi-ready.

“The VPOW is premised on our community service-oriented program. With this project, we hope to bring the police even closer to the hearts and minds of the general public,” Valenzuela Police chief Senior Supt. Rhoderick Armamento said in a statement.

The WiFi access would allow the mobile desk officer on duty to check online crime databases, like those for e-warrants or “hot” vehicles. The VPOW can also process police clearances and store blotter entries, Armamento added.

The VPOWs can also be a response vehicle for disasters, accidents and other emergencies.

The first two vans are being deployed for Valenzuela’s two districts and will be roaming the city’s inner sections and highly populated areas.

If they’re proven to be effective, the city government said it was ready to deploy 10 more VPOW vans to back up the various police precincts.