The first seven patrol cars acquired by the Bacolod City government were officially turned over to the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) on Friday, January 21. “These cars will primarily be used for our peace and order. I am also happy that these came out during the time that there is an increase in our crime volume,” Mayor Evelio Leonardia said. The mayor also disclosed that the city government will be acquiring seven more patrol cars to be used by the BCPO, which is under the leadership of acting director, Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir. The cars will also help the new police director to “hit the ground running,” which was the priority of then BCPO head, Police Colonel Manuel Placido, Leonardia added. “Our goal here is to help. We are supposed to work together and assist them in any way we can. The BCPO can use the patrol cars any time to improve police visibility and mobility. “This is what they wanted, this is their priority. And this is what we gave them,” Leonardia stated. Martir, meanwhile, said that the first seven patrol cars will be distributed to police stations 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, and 8. “I will prioritize giving these to busy police stations, especially the big ones,” he said. The director further noted that the patrol cars will further uplift the police’s peacekeeping efforts in the city. “It will also boost our visibility efforts especially that we only have over 700 policemen. This will also boost our capabilities so that we can make our patrol cars on standby, which will really be a big help. “The BCPO is very grateful for the generosity of our city mayor. I am also thankful to our city council, to city executives, and to the citizens of Bacolod who gave these patrol cars to us,” Martir added./WDJ