5-year ‘smart policing’ plan eyed

By Rose de la Cruz

All those booboos in physical police work must not be used in coping with artificial intelligence and other modern technologies and strategies for the Philippine National Police system, which is why newly-appointed PNP Chief, Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil wants a 5-year ‘smart policing’ development plan designed and adopted.

A story of the Philippine News Agency said the new PNP chief aired this plan during a press briefing after his first command conference at Camp Crame yesterday where he said this plan would address the rising cybercrimes and other emerging security challenges.

“For instance, we are on the lookout for a red car. If we ask our police officers, they would just wait and check. But with AI and CCTV (closed circuit television) cameras, when you say red car, all red cars that pass through, you can immediately single out what you are looking for and get the details — plate number, markings, so it’s easier to find it. It will not be tedious if you use AI. It’s quite expensive but this is very useful at the long end,” Marbil said.

He said this would also address the evolving schemes of cybercriminals who prey on people dependent on technology in their daily activities.

“Our hackers are getting good at their work, that’s why I said, we need to get not only police officers, but also people coming for the civilian sectors. We need to hire experts to help us in the programs that we need), we will be investing more doon sa ating (in our) capabilities,” Marbil said.

Marbil, a former PNP director for comptrollership, said the force would invest in enhancing the capabilities of the Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG).

Marbil said while the PNP maintains an uncompromising stance against illegal drugs, there would be a slight shift in the campaign’s implementation.

In dealing with drug information present in each region, he said, the officers would be given a specific amount of drugs to confiscate in their areas, instead of generalizations, so that they would be guided as to what they are dealing with.

“ Now, it’s more specific. This is the amount of illegal drugs present in your area, you should wipe that out. It’s not like the general rule setting that officers should intercept or offices are competing in terms of the amount of drug seizures. It’s not like that anymore in the PNP,” he said. The quota system on illegal drug seizures does not solve the problem, he explained.

“If it’s 10 kg., then you catch 10 kg. It’s not about who caught more. This old system is only compliance-based. Now, it’s more of key performance indicators based on the figures of every region. What is the specific problem of your region, then we will base your performance on addressing these problems,” he added.

He said there would be no major revamp of ranking police officials, noting that this makes affected units unstable.

He also reminded police personnel to refrain from the unnecessary use of mobile phones while on duty.

“The DIDM (Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management) said we have radios to use. So there is no excuse for our policemen to use their cell phones,” he added.  (with report from PNA)