CHAPTER 1

THE PROBLEM
Background of the study

The society is dealing with a wide range of social issues and concerns. Criminality is one of these issues, which
impacts the entire country and all aspects of communal life. Because of growing population, unemployment,
and rapid urbanization, the problem of criminality is increased. The Philippine National Police is in
responsibility of safeguarding the country's lives and assets. These obligations include efforts aimed at
preventing crime in the country.

The Republic of the Philippines is well-known for having outstanding laws produced by legislators in the
Executive, Legislative, and Judiciary branches. The aim of these laws are to: (1) reduce crime, (2) reduce crime
fear, and (3) enhance communication and interactions between the police and the community. Police officers are
key factors and components of society. Their duties include the enforcement of all laws, the prevention of
crimes, the protection of lives and property, and the maintenance of peace and order. One of their primary
responsibilities is to “prevent and investigate crimes, as well as bring criminals to justice.”

Crime is an act committed or omitted, in violation of a public law, either forbidding or commanding it; a breach
or violation of some public right or duty due to a whole community, considered as a community. In its social
aggregate capacity, as distinguished from a civil injury, Black’s Law Dictionary 2nd Ed, the crime remains an
undeniable fact of life for many, regardless of the status of a person in the society. On the other hand, crime
prevention refers to the range of strategies that are implemented by individuals, communities, businesses, non-
government organizations and all levels of government to target the various social and environmental factors
that increase the risk of crime, disorder and victimization (AIC 2003; ECOSOC 2002; IPC 2008; Van Dijk & de
Waard 1991). Crime prevention entails any action designed to reduce the actual level of crime and/or not the
perceived fear of crime.

Crime has effects which are extensive as society itself. It can be as pervasive to development and debasing
to the quality of life as personally dangerous, socially damaging, or politically embarrassing. It quiet
erosion of national achievement and long term influence on motivation can be far more detrimental to a
society that is currently recognized.Crime permeates all aspects of society and, as such, is a form of warfare
waged on a worldwide scale, with non-combatants on the losing side(UIA, 2019).

Crime is a violation of rules of behavior as interpreted and expressed by the law, which reflects opinions,
traditional values, and the viewpoint of people having social and political power. Individuals who go
against these rules are subject to sanctions by state authority, social stigma, and loss of status (Siegel,
2008).

Crime is a destructive phenomenon, given the various effects that are evident in various literature. It ranges
from physical disability, emotional crisis, psychological trauma, and economic crisis to mention a few, law
enforcement agencies are challenged to design and implement effective crime prevention activities.

Crime prevention refers to the various strategies that are devised and enforced by communities, businesses,
non-government organizations and all levels of government to target the various social and environmental
factors that increase the risk of crime, disorder and victimization (AIC, 2003; ECOSOC, 2002; IPC, 2008;
Van Dijk & de Waard, 1991). Crime prevention activities vary from place to place in such that different
places adapt to varied activities anchored in various theories of crime prevention.

Understanding crime as a product of an environment naturally suggests that crime may be prevented and
controlled. Paul Bartingan and Frederick Faust, as cited in Matsukawa and Tatsuki (1976), compared this
idea to immunology and public health. Primary prevention aims to prevent the impact of disease or injury
from occurring by maintaining a healthier population and avoiding unhealthy behavior. Secondary crime
prevention aims to reduce the impact of a disease or injury by treating it as soon as possible, and tertiary
crime prevention aims to soften the impact of an ongoing illness or injury through rehabilitation and
livelihood support. Primary crime prevention aims to prevent crime from occurring by creating and
maintaining safe environments from a criminology perspective. Secondary crime prevention aims to
address incivilities and deviances before they lead to criminal activities, and tertiary crime prevention seeks
to rehabilitate offenders through punishments, corrections, probation, parole, and community support.

Kidnappings, bank heists, robbery, and murder in the countryside have remained the most serious danger to
public safety and security in the Philippines. To safeguard the safety of the people in the communities,
elected and appointed local government officials, the Philippine National Police, and approved regulations
serve as a tool or instrument in the protection of the community. Further, in the passage of Republic Act
7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code (LGC) of 1991 in Article 2, Section 28 stated that,
“authorizes local government executives to have operational control over police and policing in their
respective local jurisdictions.” Specifically, it defines the extensive powers that local elected executive
officials, such as provincial governors or city and municipal mayors, exercise over PNP officers and
personnel assigned to their jurisdictions.

Victims of crime may suffer long- lasting psychological trauma (UN-HABITAT, 2007). High crime rate will
impede foreign investments as well as result in the stigmatization of neighbor hoods or even entire sections of
the city (UN-HABITAT, 2007, Dodds & Pippard, 2005). The desire to feel safe and secure demands numerous
public policy and governmental interventions to combat crime. But the problem of crime itself is still persistent.
Global trends indicate that crime rates have been on the increase. This trend is however, not replicated in all
regions of the world, though crime and violence are typically more severe in urban areas and is compounded by
their rapid growth (UNHABITAT, 2007).

The level and intensity of crime can vary from nation to nation and no country has remained unaffected.
However crime and insecurity are serious threats in developing countries, while these countries face population
explosion and accelerated urbanization. In such countries with “limited resources to invest in modernization of
their criminal justice system, underpaid police officers, lack of equipment, overcrowding prisons and courts”
(Dodds & Pippard, 2005, P.19), the growing crime rates pose formidable challenges for governments in
ensuring the safety and security of the citizens and the quality of their lives. The seriousness of the crime issues
in developing counties as a developmental problem make particular demands on the governments which is not
faced by most of the developed countries (United Nations [UN], 2010.

Forsyth (2005) postulates that although crime has been known as a consequence of social upheavals resulting
from industrialization and render urbanization that have been equated with modernization. But the experience of
the developing countries in the last quarter of the twentieth century shows that crime is known as a critical
obstacle to the realization of development. It can even be a potential cause of underdevelopment.

Various studies have shown that some programs, despite their effectiveness, did not produce the desired results.
Effective policing is still the preferred option among local government entities for gaining the trust and
confidence of the general population. The researchers will focus not only on the effectiveness and
implementation of crime prevention programs in chosen barangays of Botolan , but also on how these crime
prevention programs will be most effective and how individuals would avoid becoming involved in crimes. The
researchers in the current study used the above-mentioned literature and studies as a foundation. Botolan
Zambales was used as the locale of the study. Botolan is a town in the province of Zambales Central Luzon
Philippines, on the coast of west Philippine sea a few kilometers south of the provincial capital Iba. Botolan has
many crime prevention programs, , and it is in the best interests of the researchers to understand the efficiency
of these programs in order to rigorously analyze how these programs have eliminated, are eliminating, and will
eliminate crime in Botolan.

Review of Related Literature

Local literature

Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome, Chief of the Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered all policemen
doing office work to go out and at least four hours of security patrols in their areas of jurisdiction.“They will
now be conducting patrol before they go to the office and before they go home,” said Bartolome. The target
time will be from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the morning and from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon.
According to Bartolome, the PNP objective is to make use of that time on matters that need the police concerns
most, which is patrolling the streets”. It was implemented by Bartolome in Metro Manila while he was director
of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO).

After the assessment that it was effective, Bartolome said he wants to implement it across the country because
aside from policemen doing office work, he said some policemen in other units will also be required to conduct
beat patrol.

He, however, clarified that only those assigned in areas where the threat of big rebel groups like communist and
Moro rebels will be tapped for patrol. “Some of those assigned in internal security operations will be used for
visibility because we all know that it is an essential component to prevent crime,” said Bartolome.

Moreover, Abat (2013) stated that in Davao City, the police station is increasing police visibility in communities
to reduce the numbers of crimes. Most of the policemen are outside for advocacy programs and to maximize
visibility. And also don’t let the ride in a mobile since mostly they are on foot patrol to observe more the
community safety, this way they could easily establish connection with the community against criminal acts.
Policemen also go house-to-house in different villages in subdivision within the area of their responsibilities to
make sure that they are safe by the police force.

Hence, Rińen (2014), stated that Cebu City is further strengthening police visibility in public areas where
implemented by the police as part of their strategy to lower street crimes in program dubbed Metro Cebu
Comprehensive Deployment System (MCCDS) which in this program they will maximize police visibility out
in the streets to prevent crimes from happening and witness more augmentation of policemen out in the streets
in beat, foot, and mobile in covert operations. “The response to street crimes is always police presence”, apart
from increasing the number of policemen in foot and mobile patrols, other strategies that will be employed the
establishment of checkpoints, deployment of covert personnel and with all these done in random manner.

In 1993-1994, then Senior Inspector Francisco Baraquel worked on his thesis entitled “Toward the
Development of a Community – Based Crime Prevention and Control Program: A Model for the Philippine
National Police”. He researched and made a comparative study of “BAC UP” (started in June 1986) in the
Visayas, “KAUBAN” in Mindanao (started in October 1991), “Pulis Patrol-Lingkod Bayan” in Metro-
Manila (started in early 1992), and Sectoral Organizing in Luzon (started in 1991). Baraquel's 174-page
thesis came to the conclusion that:
BAC-UP can be considered as the most successful implementation of a community-based crime
prevention program for the following reasons: It was able to sustain its objective of minimizing the
levels of crime incidence, notwithstanding the fact that the commander who initiated the project was
already transferred; It presented a concrete example of committed private sector involvement manifested
in the joint undertakings of the Rotary Club of Bacolod City-East and Negros Occidental PC/INP
Command. (Note: BAC UP should get the credit, where Rotary Club of Bacolod City-East Rotarians is
also members);

It was undertaken at no cost to the government while completely overhauling the deployment structure
of the Bacolod City Police and providing it with the needed administrative, communications and
mobility requirement; It emphasized the need for building awareness and eliciting response through
social marketing; It provided for the recruitment, training and integration of the “barangay tanods” in the
community police structure; It also provided for livelihood projects and the provision of soft loans for
the police officers.

“Evaluating the level of crime incidence in Bacolod City, the available statistics showed that the
total crime volume in the city considerably went down from a high of 3,500 crime incidents in 1989 to a low
of 607 crime incidents last couple of years. This goes to show that BAC UP has been able to sustain the
gains that it has achieved in 1986 up to today, as far as keeping the level of crime incidence at minimal
levels. The dramatic decrease in crime incidence in the city is mainly attributed to the institutionalization of
the “BAC UP” within the communities of Bacolod City”.

As a result, safety is defined as freedom from harm or danger, as well as the state of being safe that each
individual ensures in their living environment and in their daily life. People must feel safe at all times and in all
situations. It makes no difference whether you are at home, at work, at school, on the road to a social event, or
in critical need of emergency assistance .Different studies have presented that some programs, despite their level
of effectiveness, did not achieve the expected results. Effective policing remains the strategy of choice among
local government units to gain the trust and confidence of the general public. The researchers will not just focus
on the effectiveness of crime prevention programs in selected barangays of BOTOLAN and how are they being
implemented, but also on how these crime prevention programs will be most effective and how people will
avoid getting involved in crimes. The above mentioned literature and studies serve as a basis of the researchers
in the present study.

Foreign Literature

According to Durkheim deviance is not a pathological deviation in the character structure of

particular individuals, but rather, it is ‘an integral part of all healthy societies.’ Because crime is found in all
healthy societies it must be performing some necessary, positive function or else it would disappear as
societies progress and become more complex and civilized. Crime is normal because a society without crime
would be impossible. Behaviors considered unacceptable have increased, as society progresses not decreases
(Hamlin, 2009).

There are several strategies in reducing criminality as cited by Karn (2013), the traditional
approaches a policing allocating enforcement that covers their jurisdiction such as random patrol response,
stop and search, iinvestigation and detection, and intensive enforcement. The Random patrol and response,
is a considerable body of early research on police effectiveness in reducing crime was devoted to exploring
the effectiveness of random patrol in preventing and detecting crime, either as a general deterrent or by
answering calls in the shortest possible time (Skogan and Frydl, 2004).

The Investigation and detection was done through gathering evidences, such as witness statements,
fingerprints or CCTV images, which could be used in court to secure a conviction. The Intensive
enforcement, commonly referred to as either a “zero tolerance” (Weatheritt, 1998) or “broken windows”
(Wilson and Kelling, 1982) approach to law enforcement, intensive forms of law enforcement are often
associated with tough crimefighting rhetoric.

In practice, however, these approaches are based on the idea that responding immediately and
consequentially to incivilities such as vandalism, street drinking and prostitution, will avert a downward
spiral of disorder, which occurs when communities, in fear of more serious offending, start to withdraw
their willingness to intervene (Wilson and Kelling, 1982). In Targeted policing, the limited impact of
random patrol, reactive and intensive enforcement on crime rates led to attempts to improve the
effectiveness of the police in reducing crime by concentrating resources on specific crimes, criminals,
victims and places. This led to the development of much more focused resource allocation through, in
particular, hotspots policing, tackling repeat victimization and focused deterrence.

The initiatives that take account of the uneven distribution of crime between and within
neighborhoods and target resources on micro locations (a small number of streets, a block of flats or even
two or three addresses) are commonly referred to as “hotspots” policing (Weisburd and Braga, 2006). The
influential Minneapolis Hot Spots Experiment, for example, found that 50 per cent of calls for service came
from only 3.3 per cent of locations and advocated focusing interventions (in this case increased patrol) on
such micro-locations rather than the whole neighborhood. It delivered clear, if modest, general deterrent
effects as measured by reductions in crime calls and observations of disorder (Sherman et al, 1989), as have
other similar initiatives (Sherman and Weisburd, 1995). While there is evidence that focusing resources in
hotspots reduces crime, initiatives that simply rely on using patrol and law enforcement in these hotspots
tend to be less effective (Taylor et al, 2011), the impact tending to be small and short-lived (Koper, 1995).
The effectiveness of hotspots policing clearly varies according to the approaches and tactics that are used; it
is rarely sufficient simply to concentrate police patrol resources in specific locations (Rosenbaum, 2006).

A frequent component of hotspots policing initiatives is the introduction of measures that reduce the
opportunities for committing crime. Commonly known as “situational crime prevention”, such measures include
installing better locks on doors and windows (target hardening), increasing surveillance like installing CCTV
cameras and looking after or altering the environment by cleaning up graffiti, removing abandoned cars or
improving street lighting. There is now considerable evidence to support the effectiveness of situational crime
prevention (which cannot be reviewed here), which were included partially helps to explain the convincing body
of evidence that broadly supports the strategic targeting of micro-locations.

According to Levinson (2004), “the patrol exercise is not only limited to crime control but also to reduce the
fear within the neighborhood”. This builds stronger relationship between police and community and wins the
resident trust. Therefore, patrolling is one way of securing, protecting, preserving the life and property and
assuring the safety of the people in the community.

Omaha police are stepping up their presence in two well-known neighborhoods. The new beat patrols will hit
the streets of Dundee and Benson at 5:30 p.m. each night with the goal of keeping everyone in these busy
neighborhoods safer.
Capt. Shayna Ray said with a newly graduated class, there are now more officers on the street. It's welcome
news for Megan Hunt and her business partner, who just opened up the Hello Holiday shop in Dundee.
Definitely having cops doing a beat in the Dundee neighborhood, as well as the Benson neighborhood, would
not only make the nightlife scene a little bit safer for everybody, but just give some peace of mind to the
business owners in the whole area.

Hence, officers are to become experts in the area, they are supposed to reach out to the community, they're
supposed to be out on foot patrol and bike patrol “Reyes said”.
This unique shift will allow them to focus on those demand times, as well as be a little more proactive in the
area," said City Council President Pete Festersen.
The new beat will also reach out to residential areas, where Ray says they're trying to put a dent in burglaries.

Moreover, beat policing is based on traditional policing (late 19th century) and utilizes the close
relationship with the community members within the assigned beat to strengthen police effectiveness and
encourage cooperative efforts to make a safer community. Beat police typically patrol on foot or bicycle which
provides more interaction between police and community members (Miller 2013).

RELATED STUDIES

Local Study

In the study of Mari et al. (2011), it was investigated that in a survey conducted among their respondents, the
implementation of Police Patrol Unit is effective in addressing the peace and security in the community.
The study of Tais et al. (2012) on the status of Police Patrol Unit stated that Police Visibility Operation is very
important on the prevention of crime and suppression of criminals.

Foreign Study

Random preventive patrol strategies are based on the idea that visible police presence in an area provides a
general deterrent effect on crime and that, subsequently, the general public’s fear of crime is reduced by that
same police presence. It would be expected, as a result, that crimes that would normally take place in fairly
public areas, such as general property offenses or street crimes, would be more significantly impacted by
preventive patrolling practices, whereas offenses typically committed in relative seclusion would be less
susceptible to the deterrence effects of preventive patrolling. The utilization of police resources for random
preventive patrol activities is, however, ineffective at deterring crime and apprehending offenders. Research
suggests that targeted preventive activities in strategic zones where the majority of crimes occur, or when
treatments driven by specific policies or practices aimed at meeting strategically defined goals are utilized, is far
more effective in reducing crime (Sherman & Weisburd, 1995).

The first study that aimed to discern the effectiveness of preventive patrolling practices took place in Kansas
City, Missouri in 1972-1973. The Kansas City Preventive Patrol Experiment took place within fifteen beats, and
each beat was assigned to a proactive group where preventive patrols were increased, a control group where no
changes were made to preventive patrolling practices, or a reactive group where preventive patrolling was
suspended (Kelling et al., 1974). Generalized, the findings of the Kansas City Experiment showed no significant
impact on crime deterrence, citizen fear of crime, community attitudes toward the police, or police response
time (Kelling et al., 1974).
The Kansas City Experiment suffered from a number of errors in methodology, as outlined by Larson (1975),
but also provided a number of interesting facts surrounding patrol deployment and perceived police presence as
an unintended by-product. It is important to first note the most applicable shortcomings identified in the Kansas
City Experiment in order to understand why the general finding that preventive patrol activities appeared to
have no significant impact cannot be taken at face value. Perhaps most importantly, the areas designated as
reactive beats still received a significant visible police presence through responses to service calls, the routine
operations of specialized units, and patrol-initiated activities such as building or car checks and stopping
motorists for traffic violations. Further, as a result of using multiple patrol units dispatched in response to calls
for service in the reactive groups, and coupled with an increased use of emergency lights and sirens, there was
no diminished public awareness of a police presence in these areas.

In essence, according to Larson (1975), the nature and design of the Kansas City Experiment served to
empirically test whether patrol units could be spatially redistributed within a confined region or zone without an
actual or perceived degradation in service, instead of actually testing whether preventive patrol practice were
effective. Understanding the shortcomings of the Kansas City Experiment results in a clearer understanding of
why the conclusion that routine preventive patrol activity has little or no value is not justifiable. In fact,
Larson’s (1975) analysis of the experiment provides the framework for understanding Sherman and Weisburd’s
(1995) hypothesis that patrol dosage in the Kansas City Experiment actually varied by a statistically
insignificant amount from normal patrol levels, which is why the Kansas City Experiment seemingly provided
support for the concept that preventive patrol has no effect even though other studies provided contradictory
evidence and conclusions. It is through targeted patrol dosage in specific zones, or hot spots, and through the
use of strategically defined objectives during patrol activities, that the effectiveness of certain types of
preventive patrol efforts becomes identifiable.

However, in United Kingdom there is a program that have been evaluated specific safety outcomes and found
improvements due to the presence of police in some areas. These programs hold lessons for community safety
in the United Kingdom. Police Visibility is a comprehensive community and citizen safety program that
incorporates many interventions and partners to improve safety and to create safer working environments and
safer communities. There is evidence that visibility of police has reduced offending behavior and victimization,
reduced crime rates, and has provided safer environments. Citizen in the community report that they felt safer
since the program was introduced. Other benefits of the visibility of police was establish to improved relations
between people and the police, and increase the level of respect people have for their fellow citizens.
Sherman and Weisburd (1995), McGarrell et al. (2001), and Braga (2001) all provide insights into the effects of
“hot spot” policing, which is a form of place-oriented preventive patrol. McGarrell et al. (2001) also examined
the effects of providing a clear strategic goal for officers during preventive patrol activities, namely the locating
and seizure of illegally possessed firearms, and its subsequent effect on crime. These studies provide the basis
for the conclusion that certain preventive patrol practices are effective under certain circumstances and random
preventive patrol activities are ineffective, even though the conclusions of the aforementioned Kansas City
Experiment dominated police thinking about patrol strategies for more than two decades (Sherman & Weisburd,
1995).

Tested the effects of intensified, but intermittent, patrol on identified “hot spots” of criminal activity in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. In the study, one hundred and ten locales were identified and split into two even
groups, with the experimental group receiving substantially increased levels of patrol dosage as opposed to the
control group. It is worth noting that the experiment was designed only to measure the effect of heightened
police presence at these locations, and that the activities of officers during the time they were within each zone
was not restricted; in fact, the observed activities of officers during the time spent within the boundaries of the
hot spot included activities unrelated to patrol, such as reading, sunning, and general conversation. The study
found clear, albeit modest, general deterrence effects as a result of increased police presence in the targeted
areas, though with two caveats: first, there was no test of whether criminal activity was merely displaced to
other areas so general deterrence effects throughout the community cannot be claimed, and second, the
experiment had not been replicated and therefore may be limited in external validity thus far.

Along a similar line of inquiry, evaluated the effect of directed patrol efforts, wherein police units were freed
from the responsibility of responding to calls for service and were instructed to proactively patrol their assigned
neighborhood with an emphasis on locating and seizing illegally owned firearms. Two different methodologies
were utilized in order to examine the effects of a general deterrence approach versus a specific deterrence
approach: in target area one, police were instructed to increase traffic stops to maximum levels in order to create
a sense of significantly increased police presence, testing a general deterrence strategy that was also anticipated
to lead to seizures of illegal weapons and drugs; in target area two, police were instructed to focus on
investigating suspicious persons, a specific deterrence strategy, and conducting more thorough investigations for
illegal weapons and drugs with each suspicious person. Interestingly, the results of the study show a significant
reduction in firearms related crimes in the specific deterrence beat, but actually show an increase in the general
deterrence beat. One possible explanation provided by McGarrell et al. (2001), for the success of the targeted
offender/specific deterrence approach lies in the possible interpretation of police actions within that zone, as a
result of proactive, directed preventive patrol efforts, as heightened surveillance as well as removing firearms
from those potential offenders most likely to use them. In effect, a directed strategy for preventive patrol
activities in higher crime locations yields a significant impact in the reduction of violent crimes.

According to Bragas (2001), he stated that perhaps the most compelling evidence for the effectiveness of place-
oriented preventive patrol as opposed to random preventive patrol analysis and systematic review of “hot spot”
policing studies. Out of nine studies, seven showed noteworthy crime reductions as a result of place-oriented
patrol activities, and it should be noted that intervention types ranged among three broad categories:
enforcement problem-oriented-policing (POP) interventions, directed and aggressive patrol programs, and the
use of crackdowns and raids. It is also important to note that methodological problems in the research and
evaluation designs of two studies most likely accounts for the lack of observed reduced criminal activity in said
studies, and the remaining study showing no discernable impact on reducing crime suffered from issues in
implementation that could account for a lack of significance in results. Overall, review contributes to a growing
body of research evidence supporting the conclusion that targeting “hot spots” of crime with focused, strategic
intervention efforts is effective at reducing crime, both at the targeted zone and in surrounding areas, and is far
more effective than random preventive patrol activities. These findings also provide positive indications that
displacement of crime from a targeted zone to a less actively patrolled zone may be unfounded, though only five
of the studies review measured the potential displacement of criminal activity.

Given the briefly summarized results of the aforementioned experiments and systematic reviews, it is difficult to
justify random preventive patrol efforts in light of far more effective results from directed patrol activities in the
reduction of crime. Theoretically, random preventive patrol activities should provide general deterrence effects
for publicly visible crimes, such as vandalism, disorderly conduct, robberies and burglaries, and potentially
aggravated assault. However, targeted patrol activities appear to have the same effect with regards to increased
public visibility in providing a level of general deterrence while simultaneously providing far more effective
specific deterrence effects, as noted in the studies and reviews above. Therefore, the effectiveness of random
preventive patrol activities is conclusively inefficient when compared with other methods of targeting and
reducing criminal activity within any given zone (Braga, 2001).

Synthesis of the Reviewed and Related Studies

The literature and studies reviewed and presented provided the researchers understanding on how to go about
the present study. Though, there were limited resources for both related literature and studies. It is hoped that
the conduct of this study will paved the way for more studies.

As stated by Manwong (2008), the patrol operations provide continuous police service and high visibility of law
enforcement and it is the most vital component of police work. In fact, in organizing the police organization,
patrol is considered the skeletal foundation. It is the backbone of the department.

Some of the study focuses on police visibility just like, Rińen (2014), statement that Cebu City is further
strengthening police visibility in public areas where implemented by the police as part of their strategy to lower
street crimes in program dubbed Metro Cebu Comprehensive Deployment System (MCCDS) which in this
program they will maximize police visibility out in the streets to prevent crimes from happening and witness
more augmentation of policemen out in the streets in beat, foot, and mobile in covert operations. “The response
to street crimes is always police presence”, apart from increasing the number of policemen in foot and mobile
patrols, other strategies that will be employed the establishment of checkpoints, deployment of covert personnel
and with all these done in random manner.

Levinson (2004), stated that “the patrol exercise is not only limited to crime control but also to reduce the fear
within the neighborhood”. This builds stronger relationship between police and community and wins the
resident trust. Therefore, patrolling is one way of securing, protecting, preserving the life and property and
assuring the safety of the people in the community.
Reviewed studies and literature are all commonly concerned about the patrol programs held in order to prevent
crime and to strengthen the relationship between the community and the law enforcers because of police
visibility. The primary concern of patrol program is to reduced offending behavior and victimization or violent
crimes, reduced crime rates, and has provided safer environments.

Various studies have shown that some programs, despite their effectiveness, did not produce the desired results.
Effective policing is still the preferred option among local government entities for gaining the trust and
confidence of the general population. The researchers will focus not only on the effectiveness and
implementation of crime prevention programs in chosen barangays of Botolan , but also on how these crime
prevention programs will be most effective and how individuals would avoid becoming involved in crimes. The
researchers in the current study used the above-mentioned literature and studies as a foundation. Botolan
Zambales was used as the locale of the study. Botolan is a town in the province of Zambales Central Luzon
Philippines, on the coast of west Philippine sea a few kilometers south of the provincial capital Iba. Botolan has
many crime prevention programs, , and it is in the best interests of the researchers to understand the efficiency
of these programs in order to rigorously analyze how these programs have eliminated, are eliminating, and will
eliminate crime in Botolan.

The study's overall objective was to assist policymakers in more clearly defining national security policies and
goals, as well as to assist them in becoming more progressive in security planning The outcomes of this study
provided insights into how to address the wants and requirements of their constituents, therefore providing a
means of improving and elevating their performance as local area managers and internalizing their
accountability to the people
This work could be used as a resource for other researchers conducting research in the same topic.It is
anticipated that it will be of interest and significance to public administrators in general, as well as the residents
of the communities in particular. It gives specific baseline information for voting individuals to objectively
evaluate the public worker. This study's valuable findings could impact the creation of policies, programs,
procedures, and regulatory measures to improve the performance of the Philippine National Police, Katarungang
Pambarangay, and Local Chief Executives (LCE).

Scope and Delimitation of the study

The study focused on the Crime Prevention Program of the Botolan Municipal Police Station
(BMPS) which only involved the three barangays in Municipality of Botolan, Zambales particularly,
barangay Taugtog, Baquilan, and Bangan. The researchers chose these barangays for the reason of its
population, crime rate, and its distance from the town hall. 5% of each barangay’s voting population was
used for this study.
The crime prevention program of the BMPS that were studied which were applicable only in the
study area which encompasses the following: Crime Prevention Program also known as Crime Prevention
Measures or practices which includes: Eliminating adverse social conditions; Reducing opportunities for
crimes to be committed; and Improving the ability of the criminal justice system to detect, apprehend,
judge, and rehabilitate criminals.

Theoretical Framework

This study revolved on the effectiveness of Crime Prevention programs in Municipality of Botolan,
Zambales. The effectiveness of the Crime Prevention strategies implemented by the police officers shall
mean the depth of their being knowledgeable of their duties and functions which could be manifested by
their performance in terms of crime rate, numbers of crime prevention programs implemented and the level
of citizen’s trust to the police officer when it comes to crime prevention.

Furthermore, the study found that various related characteristics, such as mobility, communication,
manpower, and community support, influenced the efficiency of crime prevention tactics applied by law
enforcement. In terms of police mobility, it is widely held that patrol is the primary role of the police in
enforcing crime prevention.
On the communication of police officers, it is also assumed that it might prevent crime by promptly
reporting it to the police without interruption on the line of communication between the ordinary citizen and
the police officer. Furthermore, the study found that various related characteristics, such as mobility,
communication, manpower, and community support, influenced the efficiency of crime prevention tactics
applied by law enforcement. In terms of police mobility, it is widely held that patrol is the primary role of
the police in enforcing crime prevention.
On the communication of police officers, it is also assumed that it might prevent crime by promptly
reporting it to the police without interruption on the line of communication between the ordinary citizen and
the police officer. Manpower was also one aspect that was used to determine the level of success of crime
prevention measures, since good manpower management can lead to better control over the crime
prevention programs that are implemented.

The manpower of the police organization in each location should be sufficient to meet the needs of ordinary
inhabitants for safety; it should be proportional to the number of citizens in one town.
The community's support is an essential factor in determining a police officer's capability and effectiveness
in carrying out their duties and functions. The lower the level of community support for police crime
prevention measures, the lower the level of trust in the police organization. When comparing the current
police effort in preventing crime and the elements impacting it to the actual crime, the determinants in the
efficacy of crime prevention techniques were more emphasized.

Throughout the ages people started practicing the utilization of workers and equipment in order to protect his
well- being and property thus, the civilized man adopts security measures to have adequate protection against
unsecured environment. According to Peckley & Fontanos (2008), the theoretical foundation for security is
based on several assumptions. First, individuals choose pleasure over pain and often make inappropriate
decisions in search of gratification. Second, individuals commit crime when conditions exist that promotes
suitable targets of opportunity for crime and the influence of social control is lacking. Third, the opportunity for
the crime can be reduced through manipulation of the environment (American Society for Industrial Security,
2000). Fourth, in the occurrence of appropriate prevention and intervention strategies are not implemented
(Hess & Wrobleski, 2011). Police beat system is intended to provide these prevention and intervention
strategies.

Human needs emerge from a person's biological or psychological constitution. They can be biological
(biogenic) demands, which are bodily requirements for maintaining health and protecting the body from
physical harm.
These are mostly influenced by the type of society in which the individuals are nurtured. Psychological reasons
are those connected to an individual's enjoyment and well-being, but not survival, as opposed to biological
motives, which focus on basic necessities — the primary motive.

As a result, there is a hierarchy of wants that progresses from basic biological demands present at birth to more
complicated psychological needs that emerge only after the more basic needs have been met.According to

Maslow’s, the level that commands the individual’s attention and effort is ordinarily the lowest one on which
there is an unmet need. For example, unless needs for safety is reasonably well-met behavior will be dominated
by these needs and higher motives are of little significance. With their gratification, however, the individual is
free to devote time and effort to meet on the highest levels. In other words, one level must be at least partially
satisfied before those at the next level become determiners of action.

“Practice theory” is a theory of how social beings, with their diverse motives and their diverse intentions, make
and transform the world in which they live. It is dialectic between structure and human action working back and
forth in a dynamic relationship. Practice theory, as outlined by Sherry Ortner, "seeks to explain the
relationship(s) that obtain between human action, on the one hand, and some global entity which we call 'the
system' on the other." The approach seeks to resolve the antinomy between traditional structuralism approaches
and approaches such as methodological individualism which attempted to explain all social phenomena in terms
of individual actions.

Safety is frequently viewed as one of several linked disciplines, including quality, dependability, availability,
maintainability, and safety. These issues tend to determine the value of any activity, and deficiencies in any of
these areas are believed to result in a cost, in addition to the cost of correcting the issue in the first place;
excellent management is thus expected to minimize total cost.
 Community/stakeholders, on the other hand, must be active participants in the deployment of foot patrol. Crime
can be reduced by training community members, companies, and other stakeholders in crime prevention,
environmental issues, neighborhood watch techniques, being effective witnesses, and problem solving.
Stakeholders can help by participating in citizen patrols, graffiti removal, youth activities, and trash cleanup.
Other local authorities can help enforce codes, provide youth programs, improve lighting, and remove visual
impediments.
Officers assigned to foot patrols must have the training, resources, and support to develop and implement
programs that address the specific needs of the beat area

Conceptual Framework

On the basis of the foregoing theories culled from the review of various related literature and
studies, the research paradigm that served as guide to the study is the system’s approach or Input – Process
– Output model devised by Stoner, Freeman and Gilbert, Jr. (1995).

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

• CRIME RATES • APPROACHES • EVALUATION

• CRIME CASES • STRATEGIES

Figure 1.

The input variables in this study included the increase of crime rate and cases of Philippine National
Police and Local Barangays in selected barangays of Botolan, Zambales. The process box included the
critical analysis, qualitative analysis and documentary evidence gathered in the Philippine National Police,
enacted ordinances in the Municipal Office of Botolan, Zambales and interview to the members PNP Chief
and Local Public Officials. The output of the study was the stakeholders’ assessment in the enacted
ordinances of the Municipality and policing program implemented as provided by the Philippine National
Police.

Statement of the Problem

The objective of the study was to assess the effectiveness of crime prevention programs in Botolan
Zambales in the past couple of years . Specifically, the study sought answers to the following questions:
1. What are the crime prevention programs in Municipality of Botolan, Zambales?

2. How are the crime prevention programs implemented in the Municipality of Botolan, Zambales?

3. What is the effectiveness of crime prevention program in terms of

 a. Mobility

b. Communication

c. Manpower

d. Community Support

This thesis evaluated the effectiveness of the Police's crime prevention strategies/programs in three
(3) barangays of Botolan Zambales , particularly Barangay Taugtog, Baquilan, and Bangan. The study
aimed to know whether the programs being implemented really improved the lives and security of the
people living in Municipality of Botolan, Zambales.

CHAPTER 2
DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, population and locale of the study, data gathering
procedures and the statistical treatment of the data.

Research Design

The research design was descriptive. A descriptive study is one in which information is collected
without changing the environment or nothing is manipulated. It has three ways in conducting the study
particularly observational, which is defined as a method of viewing and recording the participants; case
study, which is defined as an indepth study of an individual or group of individuals and survey which is a
brief interview or discussion with an individual about a specific topic.

The research paradigm was qualitative and quantitative. Qualitative paradigm is an inquiry into a social or
human problem in which researchers engage themselves in the nature of the informants, collaborating with
them, and determining the ways of their living, perspectives, and meanings to understand events, processes,
places, or persons. On the other hand, quantitative paradigm is an objective inquiry that involves
experiments, surveys, testing, and structured content analysis, interviews, and observation.
The researchers did a purposive sampling in which the non-probability sample is selected based on
the judgement of the researchers on the characteristics of a population and objective of the study.

Population and Locale Study

Respondents to this study came from different sectors of the Philippine Police officers assigned in
Botolan Municipal Police Station, the resident voters of selected barangays in Botolan, and Barangay
officials.
The selected barangays in Municipality of Botolan, Zambales that were used in this study were
Batas, with 1,598 voting population, Lucsuhin, with 1,900 voting population, and Poblacion 2, with 724
voting population as of 2016. The researchers interviewed 5% of voting population of each barangay.
Table 1
Population of the Study
RESPONDENTS NUMBER OF RESPONDENTS
1. Botolan Municipal Police Officers
2. Three Barangays
3. Barangay Officials
TOTAL

Data Gathering Tools

The thesis instruments used in this study were key informant and survey questionnaires for the
interview.
Data Gathering Procedures
The researchers prepared questionnaires that were asked to different respondents vital to this study.
The researchers also had written letters of permission to the respondents, so that the researchers
would be able to ask them about the validated questions about the thesis topic.
Treatment of the Data
After conducting interview, the answers were presented and discussed in terms of the focus of crime
prevention program and together with how it was conducted and address.
Mean rating was used to determine the level of application to the barangays of the Botolan
Municipal Police Station (BMPS), as well on the level of effectiveness of the Crime Prevention Program of
the BMPS.
To determine the significant differences between the perceptions of the BMPO, three Barangays and
the Barangay Officials. Mean rating and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the data by
manual computation.
The following scale was used on the level of application to the barangays of the Crime Prevention
Program of the BMPS.

Point Scale Verbal Interpretation Symbols

4 3.26 - 4.0 Very Much Applicable VMA

Very Effective VE

3 2.5 - 3.25 Moderately Applicable MA

Moderately Effective ME

2 1.75 - 2.50 Less Applicable LA

Less Effective LE

1 1.0 – 1.75 Not Applicable NA

Not Effective NE