Rising TRI dampens cops’

Crime reduction efforts

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, May 31 (PIA)—An unprecedented increase in traffic related incidents (TRI) in the first five months of this year in Bohol compared to the same periods in the last two years dampen the local crime-busters accomplishments, but even then, Bohol still finds a considerable decrease in total crime volume trends in the last three years. 

In Bohol in the last three years, from January to May, crime dipped to an average of 5.6%, which, to Camp Dagohoy, is already a positive indication of a proactive police force.

The victory could have been much better if authorities could step on the brakes to lessen TRI.

In a report he delivered before the joint meetings of the Provincial Peace and Order (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), Bohol police Chief Police Colonel Julius Cesar Gornez showed that from 920 TRI in 2017, it zoomed to 1079 in the first five months of 2019.

In the same report, he said the total crime volume from January to May in 2017 peaked at 3,224 or a monthly average of 644.8 for index and non-index crimes.

  

Delivering his monthly crime statistics before the members of the joint councils, Gornez, who was in his customary PNP Goa uniform, pointed out that the 3224, slid to 3093 by the same period of 2018.

He said four percent average decrease in crimes forms the accomplishment that Camp Dagohoy intended to maintain in the same period for the next year.

But, by 2019, in January to May, crime statisticians at Camp Dagohoy compared their data from the Crime Information Reporting and Analysis System at Camp Crame noted that the crime incidence continued to dip, albeit minimally.

From a total crime volume of 3,093 in 2018, some 51 less crimes happened in 2019 with only 3,042 crimes; a two percent dip noted now.

Much of the crime volume decline however can be dissected with a view on the index and non index crimes.

For January to May 2017, index crimes or the crimes against the Revised Penal Code (RPC) reached 1,088 or a monthly average of 217.6.

The following period in 2018 showed that the index crimes still dipped to 841 (a monthly average of 168 index crimes) which forms some 23% of decline.

This year, in the initial five months, index crimes tallied 751 or a monthly average of 150.2 and another 11 % drop, according to Colonel Gornez.

Camp Dagohoy also admits they are working to tame theft, physical injury and robbery as these three index crimes form the top crimes committed in Bohol. 

As to non-index crimes or those crimes punishable by special laws, where drugs, traffic incidents and other crimes off the RPC, from 2,136 in the first five months of 2017, constant police pressure against criminal groups and individuals resulted in an increase of crime tally, which shows 116 more  non-index crimes to 2252.

This, Camp Dagohoy chief said, is 5% general increase, but he assured this is nothing to worry about as this shows police proactive roles against crimes.

This year, in the beginning five months, non-index crimes reached 2,291, another 2% increase from the previous period of last year.

For the non-index crimes, traffic related incidents in Bohol have dampened the total crime reduction accomplishments by the local police as the five months of the last 3 years showed a rather disappointing data.

Traffic related incidents, while they were only 920 in 2017, revved to 1,079, a high 14.74% increase, which contributed largely to a low crime decrease rate. (rahc/PIA-7/Bohol)  

THEFT, PHYSICAL INJURY AND ROBBERY.  This trio of index crimes comprise the biggest chunk of the total crime volume in Bohol. Although these have been managed quite well recently, the sudden increase in traffic related incidents in Bohol in the past five months brought tho local anticrime efforts dwon, points PColonel Julius Cesar Gornez during the recent PPOC. (rahc/PIA-07/Bohol)