Accurate crime reporting adopted by PNP

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) has adopted a more efficient and accurate system of crime reporting in line with its Integrated Transformation Program in developing police systems and procedures. The National Crime Reporting System (NCRS) is now being implemented in all PNP units to report crime incidents to the national headquarters for centralized recording.

“In our desire to continuously develop new methods of counting and recording crime incidents to correct some of the noted defects in our current method of crime measurement and analysis, we have come up with a new system of generating timely and accurate crime statistics from the field by revising the Police Regional Office Periodic Report [PROPER]” said Police Director Raul Bacalzo, PNP director for Investigation and Detective Management.

To effectively implement the new crime reporting system, all PNP Units were required to submit the Unit Crime Periodic Report (UCPER) to the national headquarters for consolidation into the National Crime Reporting System.

Bacalzo said the UCPER is designed to promote consistency in recording crime incidents to serve as an effective tool in deriving accurate assessment of the prevailing crime situation.

“THE UCPER prescribes a uniform procedure for the PNP in reporting and collecting crime data including cases reported to other law enforcement agencies that compose the Criminal Justice System,” Bacalzo said.

According to Bacalzo, it is also formulated in preparation for the adoption of a computer-based Crime Information System by 2010 as directed by chief, Philippine National Police, Director General Jesus Verzosa promoting efficiency in arresting suspects through classification of cases, whether solved with arrested suspects or those filed but with suspects who are still at large.

“The Police Blotter remains the main source of crime data which is the working basis for policies and programs on various anti-criminality measures,” Bacalzo explained.

The effectiveness of the policy is monitored through the crime statistics. And significant changes in recording index crime incidents were noted with the inclusion of specific violation of special laws such as cattle rustling and carnapping.

Thus, under the National Crime Reporting System, the total Crime Volume in 2009 was recorded at 101,798 crime incidents with 61.26 percent Index Crimes and 38.74 percent Non-index Crimes.

“The statistical increase in Total Crime Volume [from 62,148 in 2008] does not necessarily reflect a worsening crime situation, but is actually the product of a more efficient and accurate crime reporting,” PNP Spokesman, Chief Supt. Leonardo Espina emphasized.

Citing national data in 2009 derived thru the National Crime Reporting System, Espina said Index Crime cases include 35.73 percent physical injuries, 24.73 percent theft, 15.75 percent robbery, 9.62 percent murder, 4.77 percent rape, 4.90 percent homicide, 3.99 percent carnapping and 0.51 percent cattle rustling.

Meanwhile, the Philippine National Police recorded 8,501 street crime incidents in 2009 comprising of 51.25 percent robbery, 28.77 percent theft, 15.79 percent physical injury, and 4.19 percent swindling/estafa cases.

It was noted that street crime incidents were more prevalent in highly urbanized centers in the country.

Highlighting other operational accomplishments of the Philippine National Police in 2009 were the arrest of some 41,000 Wanted persons and the confiscation of more than 200,000 loose firearms.

In 2009, the Philippine National Police served 26,881 Warrants of Arrest issued by the judiciary resulting in the arrest of 19,161 Wanted persons. –SAMMY MARTIN, Manila Times