Police Commanders Target Areas for Five-Minute Response
ILOILO CITY — Philippine National Police Chief Gen. Nicolas D. Torre III has called on police commanders nationwide to pinpoint areas that should be prioritized under the five-minute response policy. He emphasized the importance of tailoring strategies for both urban and rural communities to ensure effective policing.
“There is really a need to focus and delineate strategies that would be implemented for the urban and rural areas. Commanders on the ground should know what’s happening,” Torre said after his first command conference with regional police chiefs of Western Visayas, Central Visayas, and the Negros Island Region on Saturday, June 14.
Assessing Community Needs Beyond Response Time
Gen. Torre highlighted that different communities require different types of police response. He questioned whether the five-minute response is necessary in more remote barangays, suggesting that other forms of service might be more beneficial.
“Kinahanglan bala sang tawo ang 5-minute response sa mga hinterland barangays? Basi hindi man. Basi la-in ya kinahanglanon sang mga tawo didto. Basi service delivery ang ila kinahanglanon,” he added, underlining the need to understand local demands.
Urban Areas to Prioritize Quick Response
In contrast, urban centers like Iloilo City could implement the five-minute response strategy to help curb crimes and increase police visibility. Torre believes this focused approach will improve public safety where the population density and crime rates are higher.
Collaborative Efforts with Regional Chiefs
During the conference, Gen. Torre worked closely with Police Brig. Generals Jack Wanky of Police Regional Office-6, Redrico Maranan of PRO-7, and Arnold Thomas Ibay of PRO-NIR. Together, they discussed not only the response time but also optimized deployment plans and the planned deactivation of some police community precincts to better allocate resources.
The collective goal is to adapt policing methods to fit the unique needs of each community, whether urban or rural, ensuring efficient and meaningful service delivery.
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