Crime Rate in CenVis Drops by 25.5% in First Half of 2014 – PRO 7

(PNA) — The Police Regional Office (PRO) 7 has reported a 25.5 percent decrease in the crime rate in Central Visayas in the first half of this year, compared to the same period last year.

Supt. Rex Derilo, deputy chief of the Regional Intelligence Division (RID) 7, said they only recorded a total of 29,553 crime incidents in Central Visayas from January to June this year compared to last year’s 39,649 incidents.

He said the figure includes the incidents reported in blotter entry form in barangays and police stations.

Out of the 29,553 recorded cases, 16,598 or 55 percent were index crimes while 13,355 were considered as non-index crimes.

Index crimes are those that involve crimes against persons such as murder, homicide, physical injury and rape, and crimes against property such as robbery, theft, carnapping or carjacking and cattle rustling.

Non-index crimes, on the other hand, are violations of special laws such as illegal logging or local ordinances.

Derilo said the major factor that contributed to the decrease in crime volume is PRO 7’s comprehensive implementation of the Police Integrated Patrol System (PIPS).

PIPS includes the conduct of random and simultaneous checkpoints, saturation drives and establishing police visibility in crime prone areas such as conducting foot patrol.

All police offices under PRO 7 noted a significant decrease in their respective crime volumes except for Cebu City Police Office (CCPO).

The crime volume under the CCPO rose from 5,451 cases last year to 6,126 cases this year.

CCPO director Noli Romana said reports on street crimes in the city significantly declined despite the increase in crime volume.

Romana said the crime volume in the city increased because it now includes traffic-related incidents, mostly vehicular accidents resulting in damage to property. (PNA) LAP/EB