The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) headed by Col. Thomas Joseph Martir has reported a 5.46% decrease in the total crime volume covering the period from January to September this year compared to the same period in 2018.

The police reported during the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting Tuesday afternoon that there were 4,638 crime incidents in the city from Jan to Sept of 2019, marking a decrease of 268 crimes or 5.46% compared to the 4,906 total crimes in the same period of last year.

The figures presented to the CPOC chaired by Mayor Beng Climaco also showed an increase in the ZCPO’s crime solution efficiency from 69.40 % in 2018 to 73.26% in 2019.

The crime clearance efficiency, where cases had been filed but suspects are still at large, also went up to 78.24% from 73.13% in 2018. Of the total crime volume of 4,638 only 21.76% are still under investigation, higher than last year’s 26.87%.

On shooting incidents, city had registered 240 gun attacks in 2018 but this year (Jan to Sept) only 45 incidents reported.

In the continuing campaign against illegal drugs, the police reported the recent confiscation of more or less P500,000 worth of suspected shabu from guests of a downtown hotel. The case is still in the city prosecutor’s office.

Meanwhile, the Joint Task Force Zamboanga headed by Col. Antonio Divinagracia has mobilized its assets and personnel for security responses as the city is in the midst of a month-long Zamboanga Hermosa Festival.

These security responses include additional checkpoints in Barangay Calarian, intensified inspection of arriving motorists and passengers from the east coast at the Integrated Bus Terminal, intensified inspection of arriving passengers from Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi at the local port. The JTFZ has also recruited informants in all identified wharves in the city, conducted survey and inventory of all resorts, hotels and other related establishments in the city which may have possible targets for kidnapping, and counterchecked the security measures being adopted by these establishments.-(Vic Larato)