COLAND SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY I NC.

College of Criminal Justice Education

Sinsuat Avenue Cotabato City

October 8, 2021

Lpt, Mary Ann B. Ariston-Alas

Faculty, College of Criminal Justice Education
Coland System Technology, Inc.

Sir/Ma'am;
The undersigned wish to ask your assistance and expertise on our approved thesis
entitled. The Problem Encountered by the PNP in Conducting Checkpoints During
Pandemic in Selected Border of Cotabato City. The purpose of this is to determine
the chaos brought by the pandemic to our Police officers while conducting a checkpoint
in the selected border of Cotabato City, not just limited to them but also within our
community.

In this regard we may humbly request you to be our adviser editor statistician. We
believe that you will help us a lot in this endeavour.

Thank You very much and more power.

Very truly yours,

MAMINTAL, MARIAM MAY

S.

PURONG, NORHARIM H.

ABDULLAH, HARBEY A.

Approved by: Lpt, Mary Ann B. Ariston

Thesis Adviser

Approved by: Wilmer M. Mangcap, Rcrim.

Dean, College Of Criminal Justice Education
 CHAPTER 1

Background of the study

The emergence of Covid-19 is impacting communities across the globe. Law

enforcement leaders worldwide are encountering unprecedented challenges, and in

response, must take unprecedented actions to keep themselves, their officers and

communities safe. In these challenging times, police officers can learn from one

another by understanding how their colleagues from around the world are responding

to pandemics. (International Association of Chief of Police, 2021).

COVID-19’s largest impact on policing has likely been on organizational protocols

and officer mental health, the stress endured during the pandemic has likely had a

deleterious effect on officer productivity, efficiency, and ability to perform social

outreach functions. (Moon and Jonson, 2012)

One of the more stressful roles assumed by law enforcement is crowd control in an

unplanned and unrehearsed situation. While a planned political function with detailed

organization may not introduce large amounts of stress on officers, a more chaotic

event without clear boundaries, drills, and for which citizens have no awareness of

normative procedures is likely to be seen as extremely stressful. (Garbarino et

al., 2012).
 Police checkpoints are meant to maintain public safety through spot checks that

deter criminals on the streets. Police officers in the Philippines observe strict protocols

based on the PNP Operation Manual so that they won't abuse their power and cause

so much inconvenience to motorists and commuters.

In Cotabato City, the entrance and exit are strongly observed, and our Police officers

are the first frontliner or the first line of defense.

We choose this research study, to help us be aware of the nature of the police

officers while conducting checkpoint during this pandemic, and to know how this

pandemic affects their life and not just limited to them but within our community, and in

this study checkpoint aims to monitor and control the movement of the people and

materials in order to prevent the violence and attack or investigate and identify

offenders. However, such checkpoints must not inconvenience nor intimidate citizens

but, instead should provide them a real sense of safety and security. To remain

legitimate and authorized. Police checkpoints in the Philippines aren't something to be

scared of, they aren’t a bunch of men in uniform ganging up on innocent motorists.

Instead, the Philippine National Police (PNP) is expected to give a real sense of

security through these checkpoints.

Statement of the Problem

 This study aims to determine the Problems Encountered by the PNP in the

Conducting Checkpoint in the Selected Border of Cotabato City.

1. How do the effectiveness of the two types of checkpoints method be described

by the Police officers at Cotabato City?

1.1 Mobile checkpoint

1.2 Fixed checkpoint

2. What are problems encountered by the Police officers in conducting checkpoints

during pandemic?

2.1 Covid-19

2.2 Crime Incidents

2.3 Crisis Communication

3. Is there a significant difference in the level of problems encountered by police

officers in conducting checkpoint.

3.1 Mobile Checkpoint

3.2 Fixed Checkpoint

Hypothesis

HO1. There is no significance difference between mobile checkpoints and fixed checkpoint

Review of Related Literature

This chapter consists of relevant literature and studies which have direct relations

to the present study.

According to Delvin & Cornibert, 2020, Listening Project, 2020. Many governments

implemented social distancing and social isolation in response to the pandemic, which

transformed citizens’ social life. These drastic changes in social patterns likely changed

the demand for police services (i.e., calls for police service). A survey of U.S. and

Canadian police administrators from about 1,000 police agencies found that police

administrators in most agencies (57%) reported declines in calls for service (CFS) in

their communities early in the pandemic—some (14%) experienced dramatic

reductions. However, it is unclear whether this decrease was consistent across CFS

types. Subsequent research examining CFS yielded mixed results, both across types

of CFS and between jurisdictions.

 According to Interpol (2020), shared guidelines for police agencies for dealing with

the pandemic that largely stressed the same issues mentioned elsewhere but also

included suggestions for minimizing the transmission risk between police officers and

their families. One study found that only about 60% of the police agencies in the United

States and Canada offered formal training or guidance to the police on how to maintain

social distance when responding to in-person CFS. Jennings and Perez (2020)

highlighted another problem, namely, that early in the pandemic, agencies were unable

to secure sufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). In addition, about one half of

the police agencies in March/April of 2020 rated their ability to provide PPE for their

officers as “excellent” or “good”. As time progressed, circumstances seem to improve

with a later study finding 94% of agencies deployed safety measures, including PPE.

According to Alexander & Ecki, (2020). Yet, PPE has not been readily available to

police agencies, particularly smaller ones. According to Hansen & Lory, (2020), they

continue to struggle with securing sufficient quantities of PPE for their employees. This

is also the case in other countries, including Brazil where only about one third of the

police officers were given PPE and trained how to stay safe during the pandemic.

Theoretical Framework

According to Slocum’s (2020) exploration of behavioral continuity in the context of

strain theories provides a framework for how the COVID-19 may influence officer

stress, mental health, and performance long after any vaccine is introduced. First,

Slocum (2010) describes the negative impact of past and existing stressors on
individuals’ ability to deal with new stressors and challenges. A reasonable inference

would be that officers dealing with stressors associated with COVID-19 response are

less ready to deal with new stressors. While COVID-19 policing stressors may impair

officers’ functions from a psychological perspective, the omnipresent stress of policing

during an uncertain pandemic is likely to impact neurotransmitter and stress hormone

levels resulting in increased susceptibility to stress and overreactions (e.g.,

Fishbein, 2001). Put simply, dealing with evolving regulations, ever-changing

departmental policies, enforcing unpopular shutdowns, and the fear of contracting

COVID-19 likely diminish officers’ ability to deal with the numerous other stresses that

characterize their profession.

Second, Slocum’s (2020) stress proliferation arguments can be applied to COVID-19

policing in both primary and secondary forms. Dealing with COVID-related demands

and uncertainty itself presents as a source of stress, but also clearly exacerbates other

job stressors that may impact mental health. Dealing with an unruly citizen becomes

increasingly challenging due to social distancing expectations and protective gear.

Another example of primary proliferation is COVID-19 affecting shift schedules and

work rotations in an atypical manner (meant to minimize the chance of numerous

officers being infected at once), when inconsistent work schedules already serve as a

significant source of officer stress and fatigue. Secondary stress proliferation also likely

occurs in situations where COVID-19 policing precautions affect family life. Officers

exposed to the public may have chosen to avoid extended contact with family in case

they contracted COVID-19 and be limited in their options to cope with stress in the

manner they did prior to COVID-19. Thus, COVID-19 policing potentially impacts officer
stress in domains outside of the work, intensifying the potential need for stress

management and mental health assistance.

Conceptual Framework

Independent Variables Dependent Variable

The problems encountered by the

police officers during pandemic
Lack of Sleep
Covid-19 Emotional Impact
Work Under Pressure Crime Incidents
Crisis Communication

Significance of the Study

The results of this research will benefit different groups of people.

The result of these research studies shall build a good relationship between the

Police officers and the people. This study primarily benefits the community to become

more organized, and safe for the commuters, drivers, etc. This will help to maintain
peace and order within the community and help to prevent untoward incidents, the

result of the study may help to improve the quality of life of the community.

The study will benefit every individual to help them be aware about the problems

encountered by the Police officers while conducting checkpoints during pandemic, help

them to clearly understand that working in a government is not just easy especially to

those who are men in uniform. People in the community working together with the PNP

officers, the community will be well protected from crimes that may occur in the locality,

cooperation of each individual will benefit every sector within the community.

Definition of Terms

The following terms were defined operationally and/or conceptually

Border a line separating two political or geographical areas, especially countries.

Checkpoint is an area where vehicles and or persons are stopped, identities are

verified, possessions searched, and a decision is made whether or not to detain the

persons/ vehicles or to allow them to pass. It is a military and police tactic involving the
setup of a hasty roadblock in order to disrupt unauthorized or unwanted movement of

vehicles and pedestrians.

Fixed Checkpoint refers to temporary or can be permanent and it takes a place where

a decision has been taken to carry out checks on a regular, even daily basis.

Mobile Checkpoint is a test operation that checks whether the specified UI elements

are displayed on the mobile device screen.

Pandemic is a disease outbreak that spreads across countries or continents.

Police officers refers to the executive civil force of the state to which is interested in

the duty and maintaining peace and order and enforcing regulations for prevention and

detection of crimes.

Vehicle is a mobile machine that transports passengers or cargo. Most often vehicles

are manufactured, such as bicycles, cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, trains, ships,

boats and aircraft.

CHAPTER II

METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the research design, local of the study, respondents,

sampling technique, instrumentation, data gathering procedures and statistical

analysis.

Research Design

In this study, we used descriptive and survey research methods to gather data.

Descriptive research is designed to collect quantifiable information that can be used for
statistical inference on your target audience through data analysis. A descriptive study

determines and reports the way things are. It is usually collected through

questionnaires, surveys, and observations. According to James (2009), descriptive

research is used to obtain information concerning to the current status or to describe

an existing variables (as cited in Wambuia, Stephen E., 2013) and to determine the

relationship between the independent variables and dependent variables and further

understanding on social distancing during this pandemic situation.

Research Locale

The study was conducted and evaluated at Cotabato City specifically to the

Police officers who reside in the particular Police Detachment. This police detachment

is chosen by the researchers because, to find out what are the effects of social

distancing during covid-19 pandemic in their barangay, the study gives reliable results

as the researchers was solely focused on an area which has a high number of

respondents involved of the problem in the study.

Research Respondents

The respondents of the study are composed of 10 personnel of the PNP from

different detachments at Cotabato City. They were chosen as they will have the ability

to answer the prepared questions with regard to their knowledge that will be suited to

the study. The data which were gathered from them served as an effective key result

that can be used in answering the emotions of the study.

Research Instruments
 This study utilized a survey questionnaire in order to gather and obtain

information from the respondents of the study. This survey questionnaire is composed

of two parts which are Part I, II and III. The first part which is the Part I of the survey

questionnaire of the study consist of Socio-demographic profile information of the

respondents including the age, sex, civil status, occupation and the educational

attainment to separate data from different aspects. While the Part II of the survey

questionnaire consists of ten (10) questionnaires to be answered by strongly agree,

agree, uncertain, disagree and strongly disagree. Then lastly the Part III for other

information that the respondents want to stress-out or explain for additional data.

Data Gathering Procedure

The following processes were observed in gathering data.

1. Asking permission to conduct the study. A letter of permission to conduct the

survey was addressed to the thesis adviser. As soon as the permission is

granted the researchers commence with the investigation. The researchers

brainstorm about who the participants of the research would be. It was difficult to

select participants because there were a number of things to be considered: the

sensitivity of the questions to be asked; the available time of the participants

since the interview would entail a longer time to finish; the venue of the

interview; and the other useful things of which the situation required. But even

with the difficulty, the researchers were able to finally select through

convenience sampling, participants whose ideas were valuable contributions to

this research.
Statistical Analysis

The gathered data were tallied, categorized, and subjected to descriptive

statistical analysis.

To evaluate the problem encountered by the PNP in conducting checkpoints

during pandemic at Cotabato City.

Frequency and percentage distribution. This will be used for summarizing

categorical values specifically demographic profile of the respondents such as age,

sex, civil status, occupation and educational attainment.

Mean. This was used to determine the average score among the problems

encountered by the PNP in conducting checkpoints during the pandemic at Cotabato

City.

Standard deviation. This will be used in order to find out the measure of the

average distances between the values of the data in the set and the mean.
The Problems Encountered by the PNP in Conducting Checkpoint

in Selected Border of Cotabato City

Researchers:

Mamintal, Mariam May S.

Purong, Norharim H.

Abdullah, Harbey A.
Wilmer M. Mangcap, Rcrim

Instructor

S.Y. 2021-2022