EFFECTIVENESS OF INTENSIFIED POLICE VISIBILITY IN TETUAN,

ZAMBOANGA CITY

A Paper
Presented to
The Faculty of the (DEPARTMENT NIYO)
(NAME NG SCHOOL)
(ADDRESS)

In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirements for (SUBJECT NIYO)

NAME

October 2022
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Background of the Study
Increased police presence and visibility are keys to the functioning of the police.

They are related to technological development, which can be considered advancement for

every police organization. However, during periods of professionalization, by establishing a

range of highly specialized departments, and in particular through technical equipment and

modernization, the police have become detached from citizens by closing themselves in

offices and laboratories, communicating through modern communication channels and

means, patrolling mostly in police cars, even when simply patrolling a certain area (Ent &

Hendricks, 2010). With time, the number of foot patrols has been systematically reduced or

even abandoned altogether.

The particular advantages of this type of police work were soon noticed. Police

officers were able to move and patrol in an easier manner, covering a significantly larger area

than in the past, in addition, the speed and number of police interventions per day were

improved. In other words, the police increased their effectiveness in reacting to incidents, at

the same time becoming less preventive (Cordner, 2010). The aim of intensifying police

visibility among people in Zamboanga city, not just in circumstances that demand police

response, but also in non-incident scenarios that allow for conflict-free and tension-free

engagement between the police and civilians.

By examining the process of police modernization, Mohana (2017) concluded that

increased specialization and professionalization resulted in an increasing lack of

communication between the police and citizens. Contacts between the police and citizens

were reduced to incidents when dealing with committed crime and offences, and restoring
public order. Encounters between the police and citizens in non-incident situations were

reduced to the least possible extent; consequently, the police have lost in terms of presence

and visibility in local communities and neighbourhoods. Finally, both sides, the police and

citizens, have lost in terms of quality of their relationship and cooperation. The visible

presence of the police had an impact on those citizens planning on breaking the law by

discouraging them from their intentions, while it provided a certain degree of safety to other

citizens. For this very reason, the police patrolling primarily on foot in local communities and

neighborhoods were regarded as a manner of building new relationships between citizens and

the police.

However, Fear of crime may often be as destructive as the crime itself. Thus police

contacts should be targeted towards resolving the issue of feeling insecure and fear of crime.

A rising percentage of citizens who feel unsafe withdraw physically and psychologically

from society decreases informal social control and reduces individuals’ and communities’

ability to work together to solve issues. As a result, there is a healthy environment for the

development of crime and incivility (Borovec, 2016). Fear of crime can be described in

various ways, including a sense of safety/lack of security, the chance of being a victim, fear,

and confusion resulting from crime (McLaughlin, 2001, p. 118).

In Zamboanga City, crimes were continuously committed because of the poverty in

the community and the environment that drives the person to commit a crime. The most

common crimes committed in different barangay in Zamboanga City are loan sharking, theft,

and malicious mischief, are the top three (3) most common crimes committed in different

barangays in Zamboanga City, followed by Physical Injury, Vehicle Accident, Violation of

Rent Control Act of 2009, Illegal Discharge of Firearms and Illegal drugs. Zamboanga City
 has a crime rate of 45.11 out of 100, which evaluates the incidence of crime, pickpocketing,

assault, sexual assault, violence, and other forms of violence in the city. And also, The

Zamboanga City area has a safety rating of 59.94 out of 100, which evaluates the level of

security and inhabitants’ perception of personal safety. This situation motivates the

researchers to come up with a study of the effectiveness of intensified police visibility in in

Tetuan, Zamboanga City; it will evaluate the citizen's behavior in the area where police are

visible.

Theoretical Framework
The study is anchored on the Barnard Acceptance Theory or Zone Indifference Theory

as mentioned in the book of Manwong and San Diego (2010) viewed that the organization as

“cooperative system” of individuals embodying three essential elements: 1.) Establishing and

maintaining a system of communication, 2.) Securing essential services from other members and

3.) Formulating organizational purposes and objectives.

The distribution of authority is an important process within the organization. However,

the source of the authority did not reside in the person who gave the orders, rather, authority

resided in the subordinates who could choose to either accept or reject directives from superiors.

This theory is used in this study since it looked into the effectiveness of an organization.

Police is an organization composed of trained men in uniform to protect and serve the

community against lawless elements and this theory manifest that as an organization it should be

cooperative in establishing and maintaining good communication for its effectiveness.

Conceptual Framework
The study is guided by a conceptual model utilizing the Coombs Systems Approach

involving three frames, the Input, Process and the output. This diagram shows that there are 3

variables in this study, the Input, Process and the output. The input variable is composed of the

socio-demographic profile of the respondents in terms of age, gender, civil status, educational

attainment, and years in the service. The socio-demographic profile is the independent variables

since they are the one who will be assess the dependent variable. While the effectiveness of the

intensified police visibility in Zamboanga City is the process variable since it is the target study

to be assess by the respondents. Output in this study is also indicated.

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

PROFILE OF
RESPONDENTS  Level of
Perception of
1.1 Age ● Effectiveness of respondents on
1.2 Sex intensified police the effectiveness
1.3 Educational visibility in reducing of Police
attainment crime in Zamboanga Visibility
1.4 years in the City
 Action Plan for
service
the
Improvement of
the Police
Visibility

FIGURE 1.
Conceptual Model showing the Effectiveness of Police visibility
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the intensified police visibility in

Tetuan, Zamboanga City.

Specifically, it aims to answer the following problems:

1. What is the socio demographic profile of respondents describe in terms of;

1.1. PNP Personnel

1.1.1. Age

1.1.2. Gender

1.1.3. Civil status

1.1.4. Educational Attainment

1.1.5. Years in Service

1.2. Community Resident

1.2.1. Age

1.2.2. Civil Status

1.2.3. Educational Attainment

1.2.4. Years in residency

2. What is the level of effectiveness of intensified police visibility in reducing crimes in

Zamboanga City?

3. Is there a significant difference between the assessments of the two groups of respondents

in terms of level of effectiveness of intensified police visibility program in reducing crimes

in Zamboanga City?

4. What is the implication of the findings of the study to the safety in the community?
Hypothesis
The study is being guided by the following hypotheses:

H1: There’s no significant difference between the assessments of the two group of

respondents in terms of level of effectiveness of intensified police visibility program in

reducing crime in Zamboanga City.

Significance of the Study

This study entitled “Effectiveness of Intensified Police Visibility in Tetuan, Zamboanga

City” is considered significant for it includes the safety awareness of the people in public on the

effective police administration. Specifically, this study is will be conducted for the following

important purpose.

To the Philippine National Police (PNP). This study will give an additional information to their

department in terms of the effectiveness of their duties that will lead them to adopt/change to

further improve their performance in reducing crimes and for the peace of the people.

To the Local Government Unit (LGU). This study will serve as their guide in assessing the

performance of the PNP on finding the lacking and provide solutions to the problems in the

future.

To the Community. The success of this study will be beneficial to the people in the community

as this will serve as a report which give them information on the duties of the police officers and

will also encourage them to cooperate on following the beneficial rules.

To the Barangay Officials. This research would encourage them to be more cooperative on the

protocols of the police and would urge them to be more actively affiliated with the safety of the

people.
To the Criminology Student. This study will serve as reading material to become better

informed about the duties of police officers in preserving a crime-free society and strategies to

create a peaceful environment, as well as to prepare them for their future careers.

To the Future Researchers. This study will give them new knowledge and will provide as a

challenge for them to notice more about the responsibilities of police officers in society as a

future reference for their research.

Definition of Terms
The following terms used in this study are defined operationally to provide a clear and
better understanding of the readers.
Community crime control – Throughout this research, it pertains to a community-based crime

prevention activity that enlists the participation of local residents in order to reduce crime in the

area.

Community policing — As used in this study, this term refers to decision-making and the

creation of a new culture in barangays or police stations with the goal of being more devoted to

being responsive to citizens' demands.

Crime - An action or activity that is illegal, bad, shameful, or wrong and is penalized by law, as

defined in this study.

Crime Prevention - As used in this study, crime prevention refers to any activity undertaken by

an individual or group, public or private, with the goal of preventing crime from occurring or

leading to increased activity.

Police - The civil force of a local or national government responsible for the prevention and

detection of crime in order to maintain public peace and order, as defined in this study.
Police increased visibility - As described in this study, a police activity that tries to disperse

police personnel in more places in order to monitor the public and the area they are assigned to in

order to maintain peace and a crime–free community.

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