BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office (Nocppo) said the number of crimes in the province went down by 11 percent in the first half of the year.

THE NOCCPO grandstand in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental. (Glazyl Masculino)
A total of 2,104 incidents were reported from January to June this year compared to the same period in 2023 with 2,364, a difference of 260.
Kabankalan City Police Station had the highest number of crimes with 163 while Pulupandan town had the fewest with 17.
Police Capt. Wilma Silva, spokesperson of the Negros Occidental police, said that the implementation of their best practices can be attributed to the crime reduction.
These include the “Armas baylo Bugas” in the campaign against loose firearms, “Oplan: Resolba” for unsolved cases, Revitalized Pulis sa Barangay Buhay Ingatan, Droga Ayawan (BIDA), internal security operations, “Oplan: Dasig” for quick police response, “Birada Semana,” which is a week-long implementation of all law enforcement operations, strict implementation of Integrated Patrol Deployment Plan (PDP), “Oplan: Bakal Sita,” and the strict enforcement of local ordinances.
Noccpo reported a 33.59 percent drop or 129 cases in eight focus crimes, from 384 in 2023 to 255 this year.
Murder topped the list with 73, followed by rape with 65, theft, 44; physical injury, 24; homicide, 23; robbery, 21; carnapping of motorcycle, four, and carnapping of vehicle, one.
Murder cases this year increased by four or 5.80 percent from 69 last year. Physical injury also increased by six incidents or 33.33 percent from 18 cases in 2023.
Despite their increase, Silva said that these two crimes were considered “isolated” because the motives were mostly due to grudges and drunkenness.