Making Public Places Safer: The Local Government Role in Crime Prevention

This study was be conducted in five cities in Nueva Ecija namely: Cabanatuan City, Science City of Muñoz, Gapan City, Palayan City and San Jose City and four Class A municipalities in Nueva Ecija namely: Pantabangan, San Leonardo, Sta. Rosa and Talavera. The respondents of the study were local government represented by the Philippine National police, community officials and residents of selected municipalities represented by BPAT, health, school, business and youth sectors. Survey methods were used to elicit information to the respondents. Moreover, this study was limited only in determining the role of local government in preventing and controlling crimes. Likewise, the strategies/approaches in preventing and controlling crimes was also covered by this study. Finally, their challenges in preventing and controlling crimes was described to formulate a proposed action plan to enhance the crime prevention mechanism used by the study community. Result reveals that municipality A, D, G, I and J recorded the greatest number of criminal cases pertaining to drug-related cases. Likewise, Municipality A, B, C, E, F and H obtained the greatest number of recorded physical injury cases. On the other hand, theft were the most numbered criminal cases recorded in Municipality E and F. All municipalities included in the study enacted various ordinances and programs from the Philippine National Police such as Wearing of facemask, Liquor’s ban, curfew hours, Checkpoint anti-criminality, Checkpoint lambat sibat, Check point motorcycle, Oplan Kaluluwa, Gun-banned, anti-illegal gambling, on drug prevention seminar, police visibility, Oplan Tokhang, Lakbay Alalay, Bawal Lumabas ng Nakhubad, Waste Management and Tapat Mo, Linis Ko. In terms of the local government and controlling crimes as to leadership and governance, development of local crime prevention and control plans, management and delivery of crime prevention programs, collaboration and cooperation between stakeholders, implementation and monitoring of crime prevention programs and crime prevention evaluation the PNP personnel, BPAT, health sector, school sector and business sector rated these as “at all times,” meaning the role was absolutely performed by the local government. Likewise, the youth sector describes these as “most of the time” or the role was mostly performed by the local government. As to strategies/approaches used by the local government in preventing and controlling crimes in terms of police integrated patrol system, barangay peace keeping operation, anti-criminality operations, integrated area community public safety process, Bantay turista, and school safety project, the PNP personnel, BPAT, health sector, school sector and business sector rated these as “very much effective,” or strategies absolutely reduce the crime. Similarly, the youth sector rated these as “much effective,” or strategies mostly reduced the crime. The challenges faced by the local government unit in preventing and controlling crimes was rated “moderately serious” by the PNP and BPAT along with the four sectors included in the study. The role of local government in preventing and controlling crimes as to local government leadership and governance was significantly differed. The hypothesis of no significant difference is rejected. The strategies/ approaches used by the local government in preventing and controlling crimes was significantly differed when grouped according to respondents. The hypothesis of no significant difference is rejected.