Bohol police assure: 5.14%

Crimes increase manageable

JAGNA, Bohol, Aug 5 (PIA)—Bohol police crime statisticians note a slight increase in crimes here, but then, according to a key official, the total crime count is a little over 1 percent of the entire population, that it is no cause of alarm.

During the most recent joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), Police Major Rey Olaer, Camp Francisco Dagohoy’s Deputy Operations Officer, pointed out the 166 crimes increase in 2023, as against January to July in 2022.

From a total of 3,231 crimes in that period in 2022, it grew to 3,397 for a 5.14 % increase.

Total crimes count means a total of all peace and order incidents and public safety incidents as these are entered in police blotters from all police stations in Bohol.

According to Maj Olaer, Camp Dagohoy consolidated records show that there were 1,502 peace and order incidents in 2022, as against the 1,595 cases in 2023.

This increase of 93 crime incidents is equivalent to 6.19%.

As peace and order incidents are categorized as index and non-index crimes: index crimes are those crimes against the Revised Penal Code while non-index crimes are those crimes that are commissions from the operation of special laws.

On the other hand, as for public safety incidents, from 1,729 in 2022, this year finds 73 cases more, with 1,802 cases recorded this year.

He added that the first seven months in 2022 recorded 451 index crimes, this went down to 444 this year.

The 7 cases difference also means a reduction of 5.55%.

As to total non-index crimes, from 1,051 cases all over Bohol in 2022, the figure climbed to 1,151, for a 9.51% increase.

When the PPOC and PADAC members raised alarm over the increase in crimes, Police Major Norman Nuez, operations chief at Camp Dagohoy calmed down members pointing out that that the total crimes is not even 2% of the local population, and that police are well on top of the situation.

The province of Bohol is generally peaceful and the commission of crime is in manageable level.

Even then, the Bohol Provincial Police Office promises to continually exert efforts in the implementation of sustaining police presence and increase in police operations on its flagship programs, continue conduct of police operations against drug personalities, loose fire arms, the implementation of simultaneous anti-criminality law enforcement operations and sustain the coordination and collaboration with other agencies for the Barangay Drug Clearing Program and crime prevention and solution efforts.

For this, BPPO remains in close partnership with AFP, Other LEAs and Provincial Government of Bohol to implement, initiate and innovate several programs in order to ensure a safer Bohol which is now opening its tourism industry and local economy in full capacity, Maj Olaer said. (rahc/PIA_7/Bohol)