Davao City has continued to see a downtrend in crime statistics particularly crimes against persons and property almost cutting half of the volume from January to August, this year , as against the same period in 2016.
In a comparative crime statistics released by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) Thursday, the crime volume is down by 36 percent from 7,653 during the first eight months of 2016 to 5,634 in the same period this year or a decrease of 2,019.
In index crimes (crime against persons/property), crime incidents reduced 41 per cent from 1,927 from January to August 2016 to 1,143 for the same period this year.
DCPO reported a decrease of 22 per cent in non-index crimes, which included violations of special Laws like the illegal gambling, women and child abuse.
DCPO records show non-index crimes decreased from 5,726 in 2016 to 4,491 in 2017.
Police City Director Sr. Superintendent Alexander Tagum attributed the downtrend in crime incidents to maximum deployment and police visibility under its Oplan Iron City in all strategic points and places of convergence.
Tagum also factored in the police relentless campaign and operations against all forms of criminality with the support of the police auxiliaries and other security forces.
On Tuesday, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio cited the police for its work.She said she does expect zero crime in the city.
She credited the decrease in crime incident to the synergy between the city police, other units under the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Armed Forces of the Philippines.
She said the full implementation of Oplan Iron City, a teamwork between the police and police auxiliaries deployed in strategic places to provide security cover thru static post, foot, bike, mobile, combat patrol accompanied by relentless anti-criminality operations of Oplan Bulabog (anti-crime), Oplan Lambat Bitag (road clearing operations), Oplan Double Barrel among others.
The mayor also cited the anti-terrorism campaign of the Task Forces Davao, noting that no bombing incident was recorded from the period of September 3, 2016 to September 3, 2017.
Duterte-Carpio was hoping the good work of the police and security forces would continue as the city eyes for the hosting of the Davao Regional Athletic Association Meet in preparation for the Palarong Pambansa in 2018. (Lilian C. Mellejor/PNA)
