Working in a police career, whether as a sworn officer or professional employee, brings many challenges that affect a person’s well-being not only physically and emotionally but also in spiritual aspects. In line with the KASIMBAYANAN Program of PGEN RODOLFO S AZURIN JR. the Traffic Enforcement Unit strongly observes the [1]Squad Weekly Interactive Meeting (SWIM) Program. Before the start of the day, Pastor Jorge Benetiz, a retired Police Colonel shares the words of God with the personnel of the Traffic Enforcement Unit so that to be always reminded to always do the right thing and predominate the state of being humane in rendering public service to the community .In addition, the activity is truly the best way to start the duty of each person in the unit.
[2]" Under the program, volunteer church leaders, regardless of religious affiliation, will be tapped to help the police “nurture relations” with members of the community who, in turn, will be organized as peace advocates. Church leaders will also provide counseling to police personnel to aid in their reformation through the “Squad Weekly Interactive Meeting” program which aims to turn them into “better servants and protectors of the community. " Cabalza (2022)
Moving on, one of the daily activities of TEU is the Oplan Anti-Road Obstruction (ARO), as one of the top agendas of the current Mayor Honorable Benjamin Magalong, he adopted and strictly implemented the Administrative Order (AO) No. 116, series of 2016 that was issued by the former Mayor Mauricio G. Domogan creating the city’s Anti-Road Obstruction Task Force (ARO) to help clear the city’s roads from obstructions that will result in a better flow of traffic for the convenience of the riding public and motorists. The ARO is composed of representatives from concerned government agencies and organizations, the city government, and the barangays. Deputized barangay officials are tasked to implement traffic rules and regulations in their respective areas of jurisdiction as well as issue the appropriate citation tickets to violators.
During the conduct of the activity, every ordinance implementor needs to observe maximum tolerance because some violators have this defense mechanism and strategies to argue and somewhat shorten their patience, claiming that they have acceptable reasons prior to their commission of anti-obstruction. Furthermore, the ARO aims to step up the enforcement of traffic laws throughout the city's 128 barangays to instill discipline in drivers and deter unscrupulous vehicle owners from using the roads as parking spots, further limiting the already congested barangay roads.
To end, incorporating spirituality into policing can foster a positive and collaborative relationship between law enforcement and the community, helping to build trust and reduce tensions. Also, it can help officers connect with the communities they serve on a deeper level, fostering a sense of compassion and understanding that can improve relationships and increase trust and emphasize values such as justice, fairness, and compassion, which can guide officers in making ethical decisions in challenging situations.
References:
PNP Squad Manual Volume 1
Cabalza, D. (2022, August 5). Who would believe Filipino cops can change? PNP chief tries the Church. INQUIRER.net. Retrieved January 17, 2023, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1641348/who-would-believe-filipino-cops-can-change-pnp-chief-tries-the-church
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