BACOLOD CITY – The Negros Oriental Police Provincial Office is reassessing their deployment strategies to comply with the five-minute response time set by the national headquarters.

Negros Oriental police spokesperson Police Lt. Stephen Polinar said the aim is to improve police visibility and response efficiency across the province.

“We’re still in the assessment phase because our resources are limited,” Polinar said. “We’re looking at all areas we can improve to ensure a full and effective deployment,” he added.

Troops are being realigned to maximize their visibility on the ground, Polinar said.

It’s not just about manpower, Polinar noted, but also the availability and utilization of vehicles, communication equipment like radios, and other logistical support.

He said that they have been constantly requesting additional support from higher headquarters, but while they wait, they are making the best use of the resources currently available.

Polinar thanked the provincial and city governments for their support and donating vehicles and equipment. “They’ve been very supportive of our cause,” he said.

He said that they have always worked to ensure visibility on the ground even before new directives were issued. Adjustments are being made to align with these new orders, Polinar said.

A key focus has been Dumaguete City, where traffic congestion and population density make quick response times critical.

Polinar said they are piloting the implementation of the five-minute response time in Dumaguete. “Once it stabilizes there, we plan to replicate it in other areas,” he added.

However, achieving this province-wide is a challenge. “It’s not that the strategy isn’t applicable—it’s just difficult to implement in a province with vast areas and limited personnel and equipment,” he said.

The provincial police force has about 1,400 personnel, far from the ideal police-to-population ratio of 1:500.

Polinar said they remain efficient in responding to emergencies and police assistance requests.

“We continue to optimize our deployment and resource management to meet the needs of the community,” he said.

The Bacolod City Police Office held a simulation exercise on the five-minute police response on Tuesday night, June 17, as part of efforts to improve operational readiness.