Metro cops use SMS to catch the bad guys, serve the public

MANILA, Philippines — The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) rolled out on Monday a new SMS police response program that would receive information about emergencies and complaints from the public, and provide feedback.

Dubbed the “Subukan nyo po kami” quick police response text program, NCRPO Regional Director Chief Superintendent Alan Purisima said the program was created to “better serve the citizens of Metro Manila.”

Purisima stated that the text program will be the ‘main gateway’ of the NCRPO for receiving information about emergencies and complaints from the public, and for providing feedback. He urged Metro Manila citizens to send their SMS messages to 09158888181 or 09999018181, and register their cellphone numbers on the NCRPO database.

“We will be handing out activation cards to the public so that they can register their cellphones, and we will save the information, such as the person’s name, address and phone number (in the database),” Purisima said. This way, the NCRPO will be able to bring down the number of hoax text messages, he pointed out.

“The identification cards will enable us to provide them with better service. We will respond to the emergency or complaint, as well as provide 100 percent feedback,” Purisima assured.

Purisima also urged the public to send text messages reporting emergency incidents, as well as feedback on police services. “Subukan nyo naman na ang pulis ang magsilbi sa inyo (Let the policemen serve the citizens),” he said.

“They can channel (complaints about police officers) through these numbers,” said the NCRPO chief who promised that the response of his men will be “very swift.”

“The NCRPO is literally just one text away now. We want to make sure that the public can reach us anytime of the day and night, and that they can expect a quick police response from all the units of the NCRPO within 24 hours,” Purisima averred.

The SMS program is manned by NCRPO personnel and serves Metro Manila as a 24-hour short messaging (SMS) action center. NCRPO spokesman Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said they have complete facilities with Radio, GPS tracking, CCTV monitoring and SMS program offices at the Regional Tactical Operations and Intelligence Center.

He stated during a tour of the premises that access to the facility was limited. Carlos added that having the said offices all under one roof allows the NCRPO to easily monitor incidents.

Carlos said that the program will send information from the public down to the police districts, police stations and police community precincts. “(The police) will also be able to countercheck with the public if our men had acted on the issues they sent in through text messages,” he said.

Chief Superintendent Purisima stressed that NCRPO units who fail to provide action and feedback “right away” will be penalized.

“They will face hard sanctions for their failure to act, and neglect of duty,” he vowed.