CORTES, Bohol, May 20 (PIA) -- Bohol Provincial Police Office (BPPO) will continually to exert efforts in increasing police presence, coordinating police anti-crime operations, and sustain the partnerships to advance the barangay drug-clearing operations.

This amid a slight increase in crimes, to which Police Senior Supt. Lorenzo Batuan assessed as still manageable.

In its report to the Provincial Peace and Order Council during its regular meeting last week, BPPO presented a comparative crime incident report showing total peace and order incidents in 2022 and 2023.

Comparing Jan. 1, 2022 to May 15, 2022 as against the same period in 2023, there is a 2.03% increase.

Comparing Jan. 1, 2021 to May 15, 2021 against the same period in 2023, statisticians at Camp Francisco Dagohoy noted an 8.9% increase, while in the same period, total public safety incidents in 2022 reached 1,153 against 1,113 in 2023, or a 3.47% dip this year.

For index crimes, or those committed crimes punishable by the Revised Penal Code, in 2022, there were 261 recorded cases as against the 273 this year, or an increase of 4.6%. 

For the non-index crimes or those to be prosecuted using special laws, there is a 10.61% increase.

Overall, total index and non-index crimes in 2022 reached 921 while 2023 saw 82 more cases or an 8.9% increase.

On the other hand, as to crime clearance efficiency, BPPO scored a downtrend, from 92.29% in 2022 to 88.66% in 2023.

A crime is cleared when police investigators have identified the suspect but has not yet pursued the case pending the acquisition of additional evidence to warrant an arrest.

As to Crime Solution Efficiency, from 99.52% in 2022, it dipped by 3.11% to 96.41% this year, BPPO said.

Batuan said they are implementing the innovative Station Unified Performance Evaluation Rating and Chief of Police Operational Performance Scorecard, in a bid to get station commanders into leading his team into active pursuit of criminal elements and crime prevention.

Camp Dagohoy expects that this will also boost the implementation of laws and ordinances and its flagship programs in simultaneous anti-crime law enforcement operations and sustain inter-agency coordination for the barangay drug-clearing program. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)