Q.C. cops to ride shotgun on buses, jeepneys

Photo taken from qcpdpnp.com

Now policemen in Quezon City will also be deployed on buses and jeepneys.

The Quezon City Police District will begin deploying 48 operatives as public transport marshalls in a bid to curb crime on the streets.

QCPD director Senior Supt. Richard Albano said some of the policemen will be in uniform while others will be in plain clothes to blend in with the crowd.

“This is a proactive prevention measure,” Albano said, adding that the deployment is aimed at bringing down the number of crimes such as robberies on public transport.

The deployment of the  marshalls will begin Wednesday, Feb. 20.

“In the future, we hope that these bus and jeepney marshalls will be augmented by civilian volunteers,” he added.

Each of the QCPD’s 12 police stations will contribute four policemen who will be assigned as bus and jeepney marshalls.

Albano said the policemen will be deployed in pairs.

“Those who will be deployed on buses will be wearing police uniforms while those deployed aboard jeepneys will be secret marshalls,” Albano said.

The uniformed policemen will board buses plying the Commonwealth Avenue and EDSA routes between the Balintawak and Ortigas areas.

Albano however declined to reveal the routes for the secret marshalls for public utility jeepneys.

The official said they will be taking on civilian volunteers on a trial basis before they are formally deployed.

Albano explained that civilian volunteers for the secret marshall program can easily contact the nearest police station for quick response, may it be during or after a crime was committed.

The official added that he has asked each police station to provide their own civilian volunteers, who must first secure a clearance from the National Bureau of Investigation.

“Secret marshalls” were deployed in jeepneys and buses in Metro Manila during the martial law years but the practice was discontinued because of abuses, including rampant killings blamed on the marshalls.