Angeles City cops get free fuel from LGU for 24-hour patrol

Angeles City Mayor Lazatin meets with city police officials to discuss the 24/7 patrolling of markets, major streets, and business areas to deter theft, robbery, and other crimes. (Photo courtesy of the Angeles City government)

ANGELES CITY — To deter or reduce crimes, especially theft and robbery, the local government unit (LGU) has allotted 420 liters of fuel weekly for the police office in this city for round-the-clock patrolling of streets, markets, and business areas.

Mayor Carmelo Lazatin Jr. on Wednesday, Nov. 3, directed the lawmen to maintain presence and visibility along the Pampang Public Market, the San Nicolas Public Market, and other areas in this city, where theft and robbery usually happen.

Lazatin issued the directive after meeting with city police director Colonel Juritz Rara, commanders of the seven police stations here, and officers of the police mobile force company on the same day.

The mayor told the police officials that the 24-hour presence of law enforcers on crime-prone areas and “blind spots,” or places that could be monitored by the LGU’s closed-circuit television cameras, is needed, especially this holiday season.

“We want to maintain the 24/7 patrolling of our policemen so that unscrupulous individuals will be discouraged from committing crimes,” the mayor said, as he encouraged citizens to immediately report suspicious activities and any form of crime to the police.

Irish Calaguas, Lazatin’s chief adviser, told the Inquirer over the phone on Thursday that 42 of the 94 four-wheeled vehicles and motorcycles of the city police are receiving fuel subsidies.

“We are still checking if the rest of the Angeles City Police Office’s vehicles are now red plate or government properties. Once verified that they are government properties, we will include them in gas allocation. Some of the vehicles were donated, and their ownership has yet to be transferred to the city police. Technically, these cannot be included yet for gas allocation,” Calaguas added.

Officers of the city’s traffic management and enforcement unit also attended the meeting. INQ

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