Bringing Police Closer to Communities: Lived Experiences of Police Community Affairs and Development (PCAD) Officers in Bohol, Philippines

Abstract. Police-community relations remain a cornerstone of community-oriented policing; however, limited studies have examined the lived experiences of Police Community Affairs and Development (PCAD) Officers who directly implement community engagement programs in geographically dispersed and island communities. This study explored the lived experiences of PCAD Officers in managing police-community relations in Bohol Province, Philippines. Using a transcendental phenomenological design, data were gathered through in-depth interviews with fifteen PCAD Officers selected through purposive sampling across the three legislative districts of Bohol. Interview transcripts were analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological method.Findings revealed eight emergent themes. Positive experiences included Collaborative Trust-Building and Strategic Visibility, while negative experiences involved Socio-Perceptual Barriers and Resource and Cooperation Gaps. Officers addressed challenges through Professional Rapport Building, and Resilience and Mentorship. Their aspirations centered on Shared Civic Responsibility and Institutional Sustainability. The findings highlight the critical role of trust-building, procedural justice, community participation, and institutional support in sustaining effective police-community partnerships.This study contributes to the growing literature on community policing by providing empirical insights into the experiences of frontline PCAD Officers operating in island and rural communities. The findings may guide policy enhancement, capacity-building initiatives, and the strengthening of community-oriented policing programs in the Philippine National Police. Keywords: Bohol Province; community policing; phenomenological research; police-community relations; Police Community Affairs and Development