THE ROLES OF THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT STRATEGIES IN

ENHANCING CRIME RESOLUTION BY THE PHILIPPINE

NATIONAL POLICE IN CABANATUAN CITY

Undergraduate Thesis

Presented to the Faculty of

The College of Criminal Justice Education

PHINMA Araullo University

Cabanatuan City

In Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN CRIMINOLOGY

By:

Blancas, Erica F.

Esguerra, Joimari L.

Gregorio, Gleizelle L.

Mendoza, James Karl R.

Osias, Marvin C.

Vengazo, Gilberto E.

October, 2024
 CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Cabanatuan City is situated in the heartland of Nueva Ecija and faces the

particular challenges of crime and public safety. The Philippine National Police is

aware of the need to establish proper relationships with the community in order to

address these challenges. The involvement of residents, community leaders, and other

stakeholders in anti-crime and crime-solving activities brings about trust, valuable

intelligence, and a sense of community responsibility in maintaining peace and order.

Materials from a vast list of resources also compromise powerful cases, interesting

news, articles, and related studies on the topic of discussion in shedding light on the

roles of community engagement in crime resolution by the Philippine National Police

in Cabanatuan City.

The Community engagement is one of the most crucial factors in improving

the effort to solve crimes through collaboration between law enforcement agencies

and the general public. The Philippine National Police has implemented several

strategies that can be used to improve community involvement in tackling crime in

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. It includes the seminars, and information drives with

community members on the risks of crimes, safety measures, and the importance of

reporting suspicious activities. In accordance to the 11 th United Nations (UN)

Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in 2005, they provide an account

of development of the Community Oriented Policing System (COPS), wherein it was

adopted in the Philippines in 1994. Since then, it is included in the National Crime

Prevention Program that was adopted in 2004, and now became part of the national

anti-crime strategy.
 Therefore, understanding the roles of community engagement in the resolution

of crime is imperative towards the creation of a safer and more secure environment

within Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

This present research aims at examining the multifaceted role that community

engagement play in enhancing the crime-solving initiatives of the Philippine National

Police in the city of Cabanatuan.

This research will provide an in-depth examination of real-life cases where

community involvement has led to effective results in crime resolution, an analysis of

news reports that show how community engagement have made a difference in

preventing or deterring a crime, and synthesize findings from academic studies on

effective community engagement practices.

Hence, this paper is a comprehensive study of the community engagement

strategies of the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City to find out the impact

of the efforts on the crime-solving outcome. By initiating open communication

channels, carrying out outreach programs, and encouraging active participation from

the residents, the Philippine National Police will create an environment through which

community members are empowered to help in solving crimes.

Furthermore, this study will evaluate how effective community engagement

programs can be at improving the general productivity and responsiveness of the

Philippine National Police in addressing crime activities in Cabanatuan City. By

analyzing the perceptions, experiences, and feedback from both law enforcement

officials and community members, valuable insights can be gained for informing

future strategies and initiatives aimed at strengthening the partnership between the

Philippine National Police and the local community.

 This research delves into how the dynamics of collaboration, communication,

and shared responsibility between the PNP and community combined in a bid to

further assist the continuous efforts on the improvement of crime resolution outcomes

and instilling sustainable peace and security within the region.

With the above mentioned reasons, the researchers were motivated to conduct

this study is to asses the effectiveness of community engagement, particularly

through operational plans executed by the Philippine National Police, in enhancing

crime resolution in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

This research aims to contribute valuable insights for improving crime

resolution strategies and focusing safer communities.

Setting of the Study

The study will be conducted in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. Cabanatuan,

officially the City of Cabanatuan is a city in the province of Nueva Ecija, Philippines.

It is the largest city in Nueva Ecija. Cabanatuan remained as Nueva Ecija's capital until

1965 when the government created Palayan City as the new provincial capital. Nueva Ecija's

old capitol and other government offices are still used and maintained by the provincial

administration.

Cabanatuan was founded as Barrio of Gapan in 1750 and became a

Municipality and capital of La Provincia de Nueva Ecija in 1780. Cabanatuan is the

site of the historical "Plaza Lucero" and the Cabanatuan Cathedral, where General

Antonio Luna was ambushed on his way to Palanan. Cabanatuan lost the title of

provincial capital in 1850 when the capital of Nueva Ecija was moved to San Isidro,

another historic town. It was only in 1917, when the Administrative code was enacted,

that Cabanatuan was restored as capital of the Province. However, in 1965, Congress

created Palayan City, which has been the capital ever since.
 According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 327,325 people, making

it the most populous city in Nueva Ecija and the fifth-most populous in Central

Luzon.

The city is popular for being home to more than 30,000 motorized tricycles, making it

the "Tricycle Capital of the Philippines" and its strategic location along the Cagayan

Valley Road has made the city a major economic, educational, medical, entertainment

shopping and transportation center in Nueva Ecija and nearby provinces in the region

such as Aurora and Bulacan. It has also earned the moniker "Gateway to the North".

Cabanatuan remained Nueva Ecija's capital until 1965, when the government created

nearby Palayan City as the new provincial capital. Nueva Ecija's old capitol and other

government offices are still used and maintained by the provincial administration.

Moreover, we the researchers decided upon conducting the research in

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija. To further investigate the roles of community

engagement in enhancing crime resolution by the Philippine National Police in

Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

To further illustrate the setting of the study, Figure 1 presents the map where

the study was conducted.

 Figure 1.

Map of the Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija

Conceptual Framework

The study aims to assess the roles of community engagement in enhancing

crime resolution by the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City. The Philippine

National Police in Cabanatuan City focuses on establishing and nurturing strong

community relations to enhance trust, foster cooperation, and encourage active

participation in crime resolution efforts.

The Philippine National Police utilizes various communication channels to

disseminate crime-related information, safety tips, and updates to residents, promoting

awareness, transparency, and community engagement in crime resolution activities.

To further discuss the study’s conceptual framework, Figure 2 presents the

paradigm. It tackles the input, the process, and the output of the study. The input deals

with identifying the profile of the respondents, assessing the roles of community

engagement in enhancing the crime resolution by the Philippine National Police in

Cabanatuan City, and assessing the developing solutions by the respondents in order

to address the roles of community engagement in crime resolution. Furthermore, the

process deals with the method that the researchers employed in gathering data for

study. It includes the distribution of questionnaire checklist, collection of data,

tabulation of data, statistical treatment of data, evaluation of data, interpretation of

data, and presentation of data. And lastly, the output is the proposed action plan in

order to optimize the enhancing crime resolution by the Philippine National Police in

Cabanatuan City.
 INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

 Identifying the profile of

 Distribution of  Proposed action plan
the respondents
questionnaire in order to optimize
 Assessing the roles of
checklist the enhancing crime
community engagement
 Collection of data resolution by the
in enhancing the crime
 Tabulation of data Philippine National
resolution by the
 Statistical treatment of Police in Cabanatuan
Philippine National
data City.
Police in Cabanatuan
 Evaluation of data
City
 Interpretation of data
 Assessing the developing
 Presentation of data
solutions by the
respondents in order to
address the roles of
community engagement in
crime resolution.

Feedback

Figure 2.

Paradigm of the Study

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to examine the roles of community engagement in enhancing

crime resolution by the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City.

The research is structured to address the following key inquiries:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of:

1.1 Age;

1.2 Gender;

1.3 Civil Status;

1.4 Educational Attainment; and

1.5 Years in Service?

2. What are the different community engagement strategies being utilized by the

Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City, in improving crime resolution?

3. What are the roles of the community engagement strategies in enhancing

crime resolution by the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City?

4. To what implications do community-based engagement strategies help resolve

crime in Cabanatuan City?

Significance of the Study

The study entitled “The Roles of Community Engagement in Enhancing

Crime Resolution by the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City.” Future

results of this study could be highly significant and beneficial to the following

individuals, groups and organization:

The Community. By understanding the effectiveness if community engagement in

enhancing crime resolution, society can see the potential of these study for improved

development.

Philippine National Police. Provides insights into effective community engagement

in enhancing crime resolution.

Criminology Students. Gain practical insights into how community engagement

strategies are implemented in crime resolution scenarios.

Researchers. Serves as a valuable resources for understanding crime resolution

methodologies.

Future Researchers. The results of this research may be a basis of further studies and

can be used as related literature.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study focuses on The Roles of Community Engagement Strategies in

Enhancing Crime Resolution by the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City.

The respondents of the study were composed of ten (10) personnel Police Community

Affairs and Developmental Group Unit (PCADG) of the Philippine National Police in

Cabanatuan City. The study used a descriptive survey method of research design and

the questionnaire checklist is the main tool in gathering data was needed for the

conducting the study. The study was limited only to the profile of the respondents,

The Roles of the Community Engagement Strategies in Enhancing Crime Resolution

by the Philippine National Police.

The study was conducted for a period of two (2) academic semesters, from

May 2024 to October 2024.

Definition of Terms

For better understanding of the study, the following are define operationally:

Collaboration. Refers to the action of working with someone to produce or create

something.

Community. Refers to a group of people who share common interests, characteristics,

or goals and who interact each other within a specific geographic area.

Community Relations with the PNP. Refers to emphasize building positive

interactions, trust, and cooperation between the PNP and the Community.

Cooperation. Refers to the act of working together towards a common goal or

objective.
Enhancing. Refers to improve, augment, or make something better than it currently

is.

Programs. Refers to the organize sets of activities, initiatives, or procedures designed

to achieve specific goals.

Problem Solving. Refers to the PNP engages with the community to identify and

address specific crime and concerns.

Resolution. Refers to the act or process of resolving.

Resource. Refers to any personal talent or outside supply that can be tapped for help

or support.

Roles. Refers to the function or position that an individual or group plays in a

particular situation or organization.

Strategies. Refers to a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall

aim.
 CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literatures and Studies

This chapter presents the foreign and local literatures and studies that

are used to guide the researchers to expand their knowledge regarding the

present study.

Foreign Literatures

According to Myhill and Bradford (2018), perceptions of fair treatment by the

organization are a good indicator of attitudes favorable to serving the public.

Alignment with community policing, a process-based police approach that places

an emphasis on community engagement and partnership, mediates this link. This

demonstrates the need for law enforcement organizations to encourage community

involvement in order to enhance police-community relations.

According to Broom et al. (2020), public relations is viewed from a systems

approach. In order to clarify to students and professionals in public relations

thatpublic relations is concerned with the interdependence of organizations and

others in their environments, academics adopted the term ecology from the field of

life sciences in 1952. A system is a group of interconnected components that

persists over time within a predetermined boundary by adapting and responding to

changing environmental constraints in order to attain and sustain target states,

according to Broom et al., (2020).

According to Baker (2023), community participation in combating crime is a

category of non-state or self-policing. It is characterized by reactive, ad hoc an often-

violent methods of crime control. Community participation is a group of committed

people at the micro level of the community set up to collate information on suspected

criminals in its area, for use by the police in the detection and prevention of crime. It

is often made up community leaders, religious leaders, community associations and

leaders of the neighborhood, who keep watch over their area and report suspicious

people to the police (Albert, Awe, Heaullt, Omitoogun, 2019). Community

participation groups are largely informal and composed of volunteers and are largely

funded through communal contributions.

According to Kaiser (2019), crime prevention results from lowering the

likelihood of victimization while raising the likelihood of being detected. By doing

this, the potential for victimization is diminished and the potential for social

integration on a legal basis is increased. The desire to commit crimes must be

decreased, while the desire to contribute to the betterment of society must be

increased.

According to Denzin and Lincoln (2019), community policing is a

technique that varies depending on the needs and potential solutions of the public

and the police involved in the partnership. During policing activities, many people's

major concerns and cooperative efforts are straightforward.

According to Wilkinson and Rosenbaum (in Lab, 2017:195), community

policing represents a fundamental shift in the fundamental role of the police officer,

including adjustments to that officer's abilities, motivations, and opportunities for

problem-solving and forging new relationships with influential members of the

community.

According to Skogan and Lyons (2018), community policing is considered

a popular contemporary policing approach in responding to the decline in public

confidence in police; and growing evidence that police forces could not fight

crime by themselves. It can be traced back to the introduction of community

constables, known as ‗bobbies', by Sir Robert Peel, in the newly created

Metropolitan London Police District during the early 19th century (Brogden

and Nijhar, 2005). The police play a significant role in community policing and

instead of being separated, they should rather be joined in partnership with the

community.

According to the Police Community Relations Manual (2012), it emphasize that

partnership with the community will be a central focus. Police managers will

recognize the interconnectedness between their activities and those of other public

services, such as housing, welfare and employment agencies. The police of the future

will view themselves as one part of community-wide effort to not only deal with

crime but to improve community life in general According to Moore and George

(2014), under community policing, the relationship between citizens and the police

is supposed to improve. It does appear that increased cooperation between the

police and local residents increases satisfaction with police services on both sides,

although this is not universal. The success of community policing may prompt

area residents to comply with certain government directives because they can see the

output of the initiative.

According to Bayley, (2017), community policing is a strategy for

enlisting the public as partners in controlling and preventing crime. It does this in

four basic ways: demonstrating that police give priority by responding to the

needs of individuals and communities; consulting with the public in developing

local law enforcement and crime prevention agendas; mobilizing the community to
participate in crime prevention activities; and adopting a proactive problem-

solving approach to crime prevention

Local Literatures

According to Braga and Weisburd (2021) the COPS program is 'people-

powered' and utilizes the first projects to explain its pros. In 1986, the first initiative

BAC-UP was developed in Bacolod City modeled on the Japanese 'Koban' system. It

displayed decentralized community-based police stations at the local level. The

project developed solid police-community links at the local level, which has

continued to grow and been sustained over 18 years. The COPS system is built on the

same principles of utmost integrity, trust, participation, and civic-mindedness of both

officials and citizens

According to Vicente & Vicente (2020) emphasizes that the backbone of

police station which will render the police officers nearer to its constituents in the

Philippines. This is aligned with the understanding of Zhao, He &Lovrich (2003) who

pointed out that the core functions of police in America include crime control,

maintenance of peace and order, and provision of other services.

According to Patoza (2018) The Philippine National Police said crime

prevention remains a top priority to ensure public security and safety but needs the

community's active support and cooperation. Cooperation stakeholders are the

primary key and should be done to maintain safety in the community. Citizens are

encouraged to report and become volunteers by informing the PNP about

suspicious movement of persons such as modus operandi in their area.

 According to Radalet and Carter as cited in the article “Poor Community

Relations” (2010) said that poor communication between the police and communities

served as the problem most frequently, in a variety of ways, by police and community

members surveyed. When asked what the main problems are, when it comes to police

community relations, police listed “language barriers”, “connecting with the

community” and “lack of meaningful communication on both sides” and “lack of

understanding of police practices” as obstacles to better relations.

According to Ellison (2010) stresses the importance of community consent

for policing in liberal democracies before sketching the nature of police community

relations in Northern Ireland during the decades of political conflict. He then

considers whether the situation has changed in the aftermath of the Independent

Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland (ICP) reforms, by examining recent

survey data from the Northern Ireland Policing Board and the Northern Ireland

Statistics and Research Agency. Moreover, he suggests that while official surveys are

useful in highlighting trends in police–community relations over time, a more refined

conceptual framework is required in order to take stock of such relationships in

marginalized and alienated communities.

According to Varona (2009) community engagement between police and the

community is a good way to improve the programs of the police organization that

needs cooperation both of the community and police; however policemen nowadays

are having hard times in gaining the trust and good relationship with the community.

Thus this only means that there might be a problem and difficulties in the

Implementation of the programs of Police Organization especially when it is related

and needs the assistance of the community. This only means that the police cannot
function properly and effectively without the full cooperation and assistance of the

community they serve.

Shaw, M. (2009) states the primary role of local government officials in

providing a safe and secure environment for their citizens. Since crime and

victimization occur at the local level, local governments have a key role in the

development of safety and security, and such governments are in a strategic position

to act effectively. Local authorities control land use, infrastructure, basic services,

local social and economic policies and access to justice and above all they influence

and shape local decision- making. An increasing number of local government have

taken on such a leadership role, developing integrated mechanisms in local

administration and working cooperatively with local institutions and other partners to

develop community-wide prevention strategies.

According to Casey (2007) stated that police are required to understand

and effectively operate on a complex social, political and organizational environment.

PNP. Chief Police Director General Avelino Razon, Jr, brought forth the concept of

servant leadership through the development of Mamang Pulis and Aleng Pulis as

dependable, approachable, presentable, humane and God-fearing police officers closer

to people.

According to Robert F. Tusalem (2007), the development of civil society

not only contributes to the expansion of people' political and civil liberties but also

improves institutional effectiveness. the various elements influencing civil society's

influence on conflicts. It examines the effects of the political identities, action

frameworks, and political opportunity structures that civil society use, according to

Rafel Marchetti and others. Al., (2011).

 According to Galabin, N. D., Recapente, M. A., and Pallega (2021), there

was a strong correlation between the frequency of police operations and both index

and non-index crime rates. There is a need for more research. Mark Patalinghug M,

(2017). The PNP's crime prevention strategies and the index crime rate were

connected. D.P. Farrington (1997). suggests a strategy for assessing Communities that

Care, a local initiative to prevent crime. John Patalinghug, M. (2017).

Foreign Studies

Zhao et al.’s (2003) findings on the implementation of CP on all core

functions of policing were statistically significant and therefore suggest that CP

programs are effective when used to control crime, decrease social disorder, and

deliver services to the community. Some researchers consider CP a necessity, the only

way to counter rising crime rates and to ensure public support for police crime control

efforts (Hancer, 2008). All of the studies were published between 1977 and 2012.

More than half (60%) of the studies were conducted in the United States. Studies

conducted in the United Kingdom comprised 28.3%. Four studies were conducted in

Turkey and one each from China, Canada, and Australia. Most evaluations included

burglaries (20) and fear of crime (16).

Gill et al.’s (2014) analysis had the following inclusion criteria. The firrst

was that studies should employ at least one of the CP strategies which involve

“consultation or collaboration bet ween the police and local citizens” (p. 7). These

consultations or collaborations should concern solving community problems and

include activities such as police officers’ visits to houses, information sharing, and

partnership building for crime prevention. We found no evidence suggesting that CP

has an impact on reducing disorders, drug sales, or property crime, but it does have an

impact on reducing crimes such as burglary, gun use, drug use, Part I crimes, and

robbery, as well as fear of crime. Depending on crime type, CP can be a promising

policing strategy to reduce crimes. und a statistically significant, positive impact of

CP, despite the limitations of including only Turkish- and English-language studies.

Lockey (2019) The impact of a local community engagement intervention on

residents’ fear of crime and perceptions of the police. Policy-makers have called for

community engagement to be made central to police operations in England and

Wales, yet little empirical investigation has been undertaken in this context to support

its efficacy. This article uses a quasi-experimental research design to review a

community engagement intervention that aimed to develop citizens’ perceptions of

social capital in their community, improve their perceptions the police, and reduce

fear of crime and antisocial behavior (ASB) incidents. We also develop and test a

conceptual model that explores the mechanisms by which social capital may influence

citizens’ fear of crime and perceptions of the police, positing that local area potency;

the belief that a group can be effective in achieving its goals, may be an important

mediating mechanism. Results of independent samples t-tests indicate that the

intervention was successful in meeting its objectives in the area it was trialed. There

were significant increases in social capital, local area potency, confidence in the

police and perceptions of police community focus, and decreases in fear of crime and

ASB. These results were generally not evident in a control area. Structural equation

modelling results supported the hypothesized model, indicating that local area

potency mediates the relationships between social capital and the project outcomes.

These findings contribute to the limited empirical evidence in support of the positive

influence of community engagement in the United Kingdom, and indicate that social
capital and local area potency are important antecedents of citizens’ positive attitudes

toward crime and the police.

ALOG, (2016) Impact of Community Assistance and Development Program

of Regional Public Safety Battalion 1 (RPSB 1) in the Threatened Municipalities of

Ilocos Sur. Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University, Open University

System, San Fernando City, La Union. Adviser: Padua, Joseph A.,MDA The study

entitled Impact of Community Assistance Development Program of Regional Public

Safety Battalion 1 (RPSB 1) in the Threatened Municipalities of Ilocos Sur” was

conducted to determine the extent of attainment of the RPSB 1 CAD Program to

include its level of implementation among police personnel, as respondents, in

implementing the aforementioned program. Community Assistance Development

Program of RPSB1 was crafted in year 2011 in implementation to Philippine National

Police (PNP) Police Community Relations (PCR) Master plan of 2002. The principle

of having a wholesome relationship between the police and the community counts

more than any other weapon in law enforcement. Being able to harness the

community’s confidence, trust and wholehearted support in the police is already half

the battle won over criminality and lawlessness. In addition, this study was conducted

in order to determine the level of awareness, satisfaction, and participation of the

community to the implementing initiatives of CAD Program. The respondents were

classified as Local officials/Barangay Council members, Religious/Church Sector

members, School/Faculty Member, Non-Government Organization and Barangay

Residents. Further, documentary records were analyzed in order to identify the impact

of the program in security, socio- cultural, environmental, economic, technological,

and political aspect. The level of implementation was determined along with its

School-Based Activities, Church-Based Activities, Barangay-Based Activities, and

Environmental Protection Activities. Lastly, this study was conducted in order to

rationalize the development for a more effective Program

Mangai, Masiya, Masemola (2023) Engaging communities as partners: policing

strategies in Johannesburg. This study examines the perspectives of the South African

Police Services (SAPS) on community–policing strategies used to partner

Johannesburg communities in combating crime. The study is conducted on the

background of ever increasing rate of crime in South Africa that has made it one of

the high crime-ridden societies in the world (Eagle, 2015; Bu¨ ttner, 2022; Khahla,

2023). Previously, a study by Brogden (2002) argued that community policing

worked best in homogeneous, common-interest, wealthy suburbs, and has performed

poorly in heterogeneous, lower class urban contexts where it is most needed. Over

two decades ago, in a study of South Africa, Brogden (2002) concluded that

community policing failed to take root, because it was an imported concept, which is

being applied in a heterogeneous society characterized by a huge low class urban

context, whereas it is historically tailored for homogeneous, common-interest,

wealthy suburbs.

Caputo and Vallée (2010) Creating Safer Communities for Children and

Youth: The Role of the Police in Crime Prevention. The authors examine the role of

the police in crime prevention in the Canadian context, based on in-depth interviews

with police officers in six police agencies across the country. They explore core

policing functions and consider the role of the police in crime prevention. They

discuss three recent studies of crime prevention practices in Canada, and focus in

particular on Crime Prevention through Social Development (CPSD). The findings

from our study regarding core policing functions indicate that so-called real police

work involves law enforcement and maintaining order. This leaves crime prevention
in a peculiar position with respect to the role of the police. While it is part of the core

function of the police (keeping the peace), and it is touted in police philosophies and

management rhetoric, it is consigned to the margins of core policing. As well, it is

usually equated with problem-oriented policing that is focused primarily on repeat

calls for service as opposed to the root causes of crime. CPSD is a particularly good

illustration of this since the police are neither accustomed nor trained to work at the

social level. Yet, while many police agencies espouse a proactive approach, in reality

they are mainly involved in traditional crime prevention activities such as Crime

Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), and educational programs

including school liaison officer programs.

Akpa (2024) The Role of Community Policing in Crime Reduction:

Comparative Analysis of South Africa and Kenya. Community policing, characterized

by its emphasis on law enforcement-community partnerships, problem-solving

strategies, and decentralized organizational structures, represents a multifaceted

approach aimed at improving community well-being and reducing crime rates. This

paper examines the implementation and effectiveness of community policing in

different socio-political contexts, with a focus on South Africa and Kenya. Despite

being a global phenomenon, community policing manifests differently across

countries, necessitating a nuanced analysis of its application and outcomes. South

Africa and Kenya provide intriguing case studies, showcasing both successes and

challenges in community policing initiatives. By evaluating crime rates, citizen

perceptions of safety, and community satisfaction, this paper highlights the

importance of ongoing research and tailored interventions to optimize the impact of

community policing. Ultimately, community policing emerges as a transformative

approach with the potential to foster safer, more resilient communities when

implemented through collaborative, adaptive, and contextually sensitive strategies.

Fabusuyil (2018) examined the impact of social cohesion and informal social

control in a Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, neighborhood from 2008–2012. The experiment

required an existing community organization to acquire properties that were identified

as crime hotspots. Fabusuyil (2018) later engaged the community in driving informed

decisions through town hall meetings, social events, and outreach events. Together,

they proposed physical changes, but also enforced regulations that allowed. Our data

collection approach was an iterative process, whereby data collected at one phase

informed data collected in subsequent phases. While our crime data were collected

between 2017-2019, our findings showed that bringing residents and stakeholders

together with decision-makers and experts can be an effective tool to address

environmental design and crime prevention policies especially in the postpolice

defunding era. Additionally, successful crime prevention should be based on social

programs and physical improvements to the built environment that are unique to the

city. In summary, this participatory approach offers non-police driven crime

prevention strategies and allows community members an opportunity to drive these

strategies.

Bursik and Grasmick (1993) have noted the importance of “horizontal” and

vertical dimensions of social relations in communities and both are crucial elements

for crime prevention in communities. For horizontal it is social relation among

individuals and groups sharing a common residential space. In this situation, there

exist complex expression of affection, loyalty, reciprocity or dominate among

residents, whether demonstrated through informal or formal activities. In the vertical

it is a type of dimension of social relations that connect local institutions to sources of

power and resources in the wider society, of which the locality is acknowledge to be

part. Based on the findings, the study underlined the challenges to be solved through

adequate equipment, and enlightenment of the public. A larger proportion of the

respondents are of the opinion that community participation in combating crime can

be improved through involvement of every head of household, provision of

equipment, enhancing police cooperation. Awareness revealed that campaign

expectation output/result will enhance collaborative effort between law enforcement

organization and community members in proactive responses to crime and social

vices. In addition, liaison should be established between the police and community

participation in combating crime in such a way that the members of the community

will serve as informants to the police.

Alemika (2000) conducted one of the first evaluations of the effectiveness of

neighboor hood watch in the Nigeria. The evaluation, based in Borno, Adamawa

included a telephone and door-or-door surveys of residents. The results showed that

the rate of burglary decreased by substantially greater amount in the experimental

areas than in the control areas. According to Baker (2003), community participation in

combating crime is a category of non-state or self-policing. It is characterized by

reactive, ad hoc an often-violent methods of crime control. Community participation

is a group of committed people at the micro level of the community set up to collate

information on suspected criminals in its area, for use by the police in the detection

and prevention of crime. It is often made up community leaders, religious leaders,

community associations and leaders of the neighbourhood, who keep watch over their

area and report suspicious people to the police (Albert, Awe, Heaullt, Omitoogun,

2005:53). Community participation groups are largely informal and composed of

volunteers and are largely funded through communal contributions. Communities

adopt various strategies in combating crime in the study area, these strategies ranges

from neighbourhood watch, foot patrol and stop and search and other strategies such

as surveillance were employed by the communities. Community participation emerges

as a result of the ineffectiveness of the formal security to protect livest and property

and the strategies adopted seem to be effective. Although there are various challenges

facing the effectiveness of community participation in combating crime. For example,

low turn up from the side of community members, lack of awareness of the project in

some communities, lack of funding from government, lack of monitoring and

evaluation from the police, lack of logistics and lack of recognition by the police.

Local Studies

Boller-Piol (2024) Strengthening Community Mobilization Program: Its

Implication on Building Police-Community Relations. This study determined the

implications of strengthening community mobilization programs for building police

community relations in Batangas Province. The study revealed that most of the police

personnel are Police Corporal, under 5 years in PCADU, and have acquired PCAD

Course, Online PCAD Executive Course, and Preparedness Search and Rescue and

Relief Operation Seminar.

Barreda (2020) Role of Civil Society on Crime Prevention in Developing

Country [Link] study combined quantitative and qualitative research

methods in order to ascertain the roles of civil society in the PNP's crime prevention

in the study sites. The study's findings suggested that the Philippine National Police,
civil society organizations, barangay officials like the barangay captain, sanguniang

bayan member, and barangay tanod, as well as the local population, are aware of the

civil society's limitations in terms of its ability to prevent crime in the San Jose

municipality of Camarines Sur. Consequently, we require a solid relationship between

the police department and the community in order to strengthen our crime prevention

strategies.

Vicente, Ammiao, Arud (2020) Community crime prevention: The case of a

Barangay in the Northern Philippines. This study focused on crime prevention of a

barangay utilizing qualitative analysis. It determined the crime prevention activities

that the Philippine National Police and barangay officials implemented and

discovered the challenges encountered in the implementation of the crime prevention

activities. The study involved 9 participants composed of 3 barangay officials, three

residents of Barangay Lucnab and 3 Police Officers-from the Baguio City Police

Station 3. All in Baguio City in the Philippines. The study was conducted from

January 2020 until May 2020. In treating the data collected, the researcher made use

of thematic analysis. Results showed that the Police Personnel and Barangay Officials

are regularly conducting the following activities: regular patrolling (foot and mobile

patrol), routine checkpoints, and crime prevention seminars. It also showed that they

had challenges in implementing these crime prevention programs such as having

depleted personnel, inadequate crime prevention equipment, and instances of

unreported cases.

Poquita & Nabe (2023) Collaborative Leadership of Commissioned Law

Enforcers: Basis for Police-Community Relation Program. This study aimed to

determine the collaborative leadership among the commissioned officers in the

Philippine National Police in Davao del Norte and to enhance the police-community
relation program. There were 310 Non-Commissioned Officers in the Philippine

National Police assigned in Davao del Norte who participated in the survey. The study

used stratified sampling and employed statistical tools such as Mean, Standard

Deviation, T-test and analysis of variance. The findings revealed that the level of

collaborative leadership of commissioned officers in the Philippine National Police is

very high. Further, it was found that collaborative leadership does not differ

significantly when analysed by sex, rank, educational attainment and length of

service. A program is proposed to enhance the relationship between police officers

and the community.

Vicente & Codmor (2019) Crime prevention program of an Upland

municipality in the Philippines. This study aimed to know the crime prevention

programs of the Municipality of Bontoc in Mountain Province as to their indigenous

crime prevention programs, the implementation of crime prevention efforts of police

and public officials as well as the extent of participation of the residents of the same

place. There were 356 respondents of the study who were composed of 44 Bontoc

Municipal Police Station personnel, 30 public barangay/municipal/provincial

officials, and 282 residents of Bontoc. This study was conducted in the first quarter of

2016, using the combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to answering

the problems of the study. After the investigation, it revealed that indigenous crime

prevention practices in Bontoc include pechen system, ator system, maipaila system,

and fagfaga system. All these practices are used as means of crime prevention and to

some extent indigenous prosecution. The crime prevention program of the

Municipality of Bontoc was much implemented relative to the three (3) elements of

crime such as motive, opportunity, and instrumentality. The residents sometimes

participated in the crime prevention activities, however, the police and official
respondents claimed that the residents often participated. The police and public

officials had similar perceptions as compared to the residents’ evaluation of the

implementation of the crime prevention program.

Corpuz, Almero, Mendoza, Garcia (2023) Impact of Police cynicism on Crime

Reporting: Insights from Angeles City, Philippines. The findings of this study carry

significant implications for improving crime reporting behavior, ultimately

contributing to enhanced safety in Angeles City. The research underscores the

existence of generally positive attitudes toward crime reporting, driven by an

awareness of the seriousness of offenses, a sense of empowerment, and a shared

responsibility for community well-being. This positive disposition emphasizes the

need for law enforcement agencies and policymakers to consider community

engagement strategies and initiatives that encourage reporting. The research also

reveals that discouraging factors do exist, particularly concerning non-traditional

crimes, where fears and distrust in the justice system play a significant role. While

there is a prevailing trust in the local police's effectiveness, the weak correlation

between positive police perceptions and actual reporting behavior highlights the need

for a holistic approach in policy development. Furthermore, the positive correlation

between discouragement and encouragement factors in reporting suggests potential

policy implications, calling for in-depth research to further comprehend the intricate

dynamics influencing reporting behavior. The findings collectively emphasize the

multifaceted nature of public perceptions and reporting motivations, underlining the

interconnectedness of these elements. Policymakers are encouraged to adopt

comprehensive approaches that foster community trust and enhance reporting

behavior, while researchers are urged to delve deeper into these nuanced relationships
to inform evidence-based policies for public safety and more effective law

enforcement in Angeles City.

Binwag (2020) Crime prevention program of an Upland municipality in the

Philippines. This study aimed to know the crime prevention programs of the

Municipality of Bontoc in Mountain Province as to their indigenous crime prevention

programs, the implementation of crime prevention efforts of police and public

officials as well as the extent of participation of the residents of the same place. There

were 356 respondents of the study who were composed of 44 Bontoc Municipal

Police Station personnel, 30 public barangay/municipal/provincial officials, and 282

residents of Bontoc. This study was conducted in the first quarter of 2016, using the

combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to answering the problems of

the study. After the investigation, it revealed that indigenous crime prevention

practices in Bontoc include pechen system, ator system, maipaila system, and fagfaga

system. All these practices are used as means of crime prevention and to some extent

indigenous prosecution. The crime prevention program of the Municipality of Bontoc

was much implemented relative to the three (3) elements of crime such as motive,

opportunity, and instrumentality. The residents sometimes participated in the crime

prevention activities, however, the police and official respondents claimed that the

residents often participated. The police and public officials had similar perceptions as

compared to the residents’ evaluation of the implementation of the crime prevention

program.

The study of Laru-an & Beup (2014), aimed to determine the level of

effectiveness of community policing in the field of patrol operations, traffic

investigations and criminal investigations of police officers in the 5th District of Iloilo

for the year [Link] data gathering instrument was adopted from Basic Procedures
of the PNP Manual(2010). The respondents of the study were the one hundred seventy

seven local government units in the municipalities of the 5th District of the province.

The findings revealed that the level of effectiveness of community policing in patrol

operations was generally effective and when grouped as sex and old respondents. The

young respondents on the other hand rated very effective. The level of effectiveness

of community policing in traffic investigation was effective when grouped as to

various categories. Finally the level of community policing in criminal investigation

was effective when classified as to old, and male respondents, and the young and

female respondents as very effective.

Jacob (2011) in his study, the Philippine National Police is continuing attempts

to improve delivery of basic police services through a more effective crime prevention

program anchored upon police community relationships, thus will more likely to

reveal how responsive the two-way communication between the police and the

community could be firmly established with the end on view of attaining better peace

and order situation in communities. Several programs had been implemented by the

Philippine National Police wherein the enhancement of police community partnership

is the one major concern emphasized to bring closer to the community and the

creation of Community-Oriented Policing System.

Joaquin (2005) the study entitled police community relations and effectiveness

of PNP in the Province of Ilocos Norte, the police force effectiveness depends in the

training and technology available in the organization. It is important to boost the

morale of the police authority by giving them much consideration and equal treatment

on privileges and opportunities.

Relevance of the Reviewed Literature and Studies to the Present Study

 This chapter presents the different researches and other literature from both

foreign and local researchers, which have significant bearings on the variables

included in the research. It focuses on several aspects that will help in the

development of this study.

The study is generally concentrating on the roles of community engagement in

enhancing crime resolution. The literatures of this study come from PDF or E-Book

and other existing thesis and dissertations, foreign and local that are believed be

useful in clear understanding of the study.

CHAPTER 3

Research Methodology and Procedures

This chapter presents the methodology of this study. It includes research design

respondents of the study sampling procedure and materials and instrument data

gathering procedure and statistical treatment of data.

Research Design
 The study will employ the Descriptive Method since it deals on the roles of

community engagement in enhancing crime resolution by the PNP. According to

Henry (1997), descriptive studies are purposive processes of gathering, analyzing,

classifying and tabulating data about prevailing conditions, practices, processes,

trends and cause-effect relationships and then making adequate and accurate

interpretation about such data with or without the aid of statistical tool.

The researchers will also make use of the correlational research since it

correlates variables between the assessments of the PCADG respondents on the role

of the PNP in prevention of crime and their profile variables.

Respondents

The respondents of the study were a total of ten (10) Police Community Affairs

and Development Group members participated in the study. The respondents were

selected using purposive sampling. The study was conducted in Cabanatuan City. The

researchers believed that the chosen respondents were a Police Community Affairs

and Development Unit are able to provide the data needed in the conduct of the study.

Sampling Procedure

Purposive Sampling was used in selecting samples, where it provides in

each individual or population with an equal and fair probability of being chosen

under the non-probability sampling method also known as judgmental selective

or subjective sampling. This type of sampling technique which researchers rely

on their own judgment when choosing members of the population to participate

in surveys of this study. This type of sampling technique also refers to the

randomized selection of a small segment of individuals members from a whole

population. It is said to be one of the most convenient and simple selection

techniques. Researchers believed that upon using this sampling technique in the

conduct of this study, the reliability and unbiased conclusions was made.

According to Nikolopoulou, (2022) purposive sampling refers to a group

of non-probability sampling techniques in which units are selected because they

have characteristic that you need in your sample.

Research Instrument

The researchers will be using a questionnaire checklist as the research

instrument to gather data for their study. This instrument is well-suited and

convenient for the researchers because it aligns with the objectives and purpose

of the study. The questionnaire is designed as a recognition type, where

respondents can choose their answers from the given choices.

To select participants for the study, the researchers opted for purposive

sampling, which is a type of non-probability sampling. This method allows the

researchers to select participants based on specific criteria that align with their

research objectives.

By utilizing the questionnaire checklist, the researchers will be able to

gather data and information related to their approach to community engagement

and its role in enhancing crime resolution. The structured format of the

questionnaire will enable the researchers to maintain measurable data analysis

through highly objective responses from the participants.

 Before administering the questionnaire to the community and the study's

setting, the researchers obtained permission from each respondent. The

researchers used a questionnaire sheet to distribute their instrument to the target

population.

Overall, the researchers have carefully considered the appropriateness of

using a questionnaire checklist as their research instrument and have taken

necessary steps to ensure ethical considerations in the data collection process.

Data Gathering Procedure

The researchers were asked permission to accept this research at the time

of the title proposal through panelist recommendations and sound criticism, and

the research advisor was allowed to float the questionnaire control. The

researchers created a questionnaire to send comments, corrections and

suggestions to their research adviser. It was then submitted to the panel for its

validity, which prompted its refinement into the final revision.

As the researcher revised questionnaire survey, the researchers proposed

and was check a request letter to the research adviser for data collection and

another to the respondents. The demand letter was given and addressed to the

Dean of the Department of the College of Criminal Justice (CCJE), considering

that it was the said institution that treated students and graduates of criminology

as part of its teaching and allows researchers.

After receiving the request letter and before providing the main tool to

conduct the study, the researchers will inform the respondents of the

questionnaire that they have been answered, so that they are informed about the
purpose of the study. The researchers personally handed the questionnaire to the

respondents and instructed them to answer the questions in the questionnaire.

After a day of answering and filling out the questionnaire, the researchers

immediately collected it and found it.

In addition, the answers to the checklist of questionnaires collected from

the target respondents were calculated and a table was prepared, after which the

data were interpreted and used in statistical processing. If the researchers

successfully interpreted the data, the next step was to summarize the findings,

after which the researchers drew their own conclusions based on the findings

and results. And finally, the researchers made a recommendation based on the

results of the study.

Statistical Treatment of Data

In order to provide an accurate and reliable interpretation of results, the data to

be gathered in this study will be subjected to the following statistics presented

below:

1. Demographic Profile of the Respondents The statistical tools to be used

To analyze the responses in the questionnaire checklist and determine the

demographic profile of the respondents are frequency, percentage, and total

number of respondents.

Frequency Distribution. This statistical procedure is used that shows the

number of occurrence in each category on the scale measurement through

categorizing and tabulating.

Percentage. This will be used to determine the proportion of a part of the

whole.

Formula:

(%) = f x 100

% Percent of frequency

Where: f= Frequency

N=Total of Respondents

2. For the different community engagement being utilized by the

Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija, in improving

crime resolution the following statistical treatment was used:

Weighted Mean. This descriptive statistics is used in central tendency to get

the average value of the responses in every statement in the questionnaire. This

is done by multiplying the numbers in a data set by the weight PR probability,

and then adding it all up.

Formula:

x̄ - μ
t= ———
s
———
n

Where:
x̄ = observed mean

μ = population mean

s = standard deviation

n = sample size or number of respondents

3. For the roles of community engagement in enhancing crime resolution

by the Philippine National Police in Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija.

Formula:

WM = TWF

Where:

WM=Weighted mean

TWF=Total Weight Formula

N=Total number of respondents

According to Corporate Finance Institute (2022), weighted mean is a

type of mean that is calculated by multiplying the weight (or probability)

associated with a particular event or outcome with its associated quantitative

outcome and then summing all the products together.

Ranking
 The use of this statistical method to rank also involves analyzing local

advantages. Ranking is putting an item in a category with more or less the same

item. It states that one is ranked higher than the others.