Take care of cops deployed for disaster response, PNP commanders told
Gen. Jose Melencio C. Nartatez, Jr., chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered all police commanders to ensure strong support systems to their men who are deployed for disaster response duty amid the effects of heavy rains in the past days.
Part of that support system, he said, are protection and equipment for the prevailing weather conditions, especially in flooded areas where policemen were deployed to conduct rescue, relief, and public assistance operations.
“While our mandate is to serve and protect all our kababayan in times of serious flooding and other calamities, we also have the obligation to look after the welfare of all our personnel not only for better response but also to ensure their safety,” said Nartatez.
“Each and every PNP personnel deployed for disaster response has family too and as commanders, we have to make sure that they are taken care of in order for them to go home safely,” he added.
More than 600 police officers had been deployed to assist residents affected by the rains and flooding. Policemen have also continued assisting stranded commuters through free rides in areas affected by inundation.
Nartatez also ordered assistance for personnel whose families were affected by the massive flooding, “We will also provide psychosocial support for our men, especially those whose families have also been affected by the massive floods brought by torrential rains.”
He said the support is intended to help police personnel who continue reporting for duty while dealing with the impact of the disaster on their own families.