Institutionalizing 911 calls: PNP conducts daily practice to perfect 5-minute police response
The Philippine National Police (PNP) has been conducting regular police reaction exercises from 911 calls in order to further improve the five-minute response to crimes and other public’s call for assistance.
Police Lt. Gen. Edgar Alan Okubo, PNP deputy chief for Operations, said the police response exercises are done daily and covers key areas of the country, particularly Metro Manila and other urban areas.
“Once you call 911, you will be connected to PNP operators which will relay the concerns to the nearest police stations of the caller,” said Okubo as he explained the system in 911 calls.
“We have been practicing this everyday to ensure fast police service,” he added.
When he assumed the top PNP post, Gen. Nicolas Torre III vowed to implement a five-minute police response with a statement advising the public not to look for cops in the police station as policemen would be available in five minutes after a 911 call.
Torre, however, asked for a little time to improve the system and eventually address the glitches in implementing it.
Okubo, for his part, said Torre initiated the improvement of the PNP Command Center and the police command centers at the regional level.
He said Torre also made sure that all the radio trunk lines of the police were working and likewise exerted efforts to make the 911 system reliable.
And based on the continuous monitoring, Okubo said the police response to 911 calls have been improving in the past few weeks.
“Based on our data, there are major cities where the five-minute police response is already working,” said Okubo.
In Quezon City for instance, he said police are already responding within three minutes.
In the past days, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) has been releasing reports of positive results of operations based on 911 calls.
Okubo, however, said there are some areas where police response is within seven to 10 minutes.
“But as they say, constant practice makes it perfect,” he stressed.
Okubo also disclosed that Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla has already committed to provide more equipment and vehicles to improve the police response system.
"We are all working together to improve the police services, for the policemen to be there as quick as possible for all our kababayan who need assistance," said Okubo.