Cops to list down acts of kindness

CEBU, Philippines - The Cebu Provincial Police Office (CPPO) yesterday launched a program that aims to encourage policemen to do good deeds on a daily basis.

Under the “Random Acts of Kindness” program, policemen are required to jot down at least three good deeds in individual notebooks. At the end of each week, the notebooks will be submitted to their station commanders and office head for review.

The station commanders and office heads would then give the provincial headquarters three names with the best entries. The cops in the shortlist will be recognized during the flag raising ceremony every Monday.

The program is anchored on the principle that small acts of kindness, when done on a regular basis, can lead to a better community.

Police Supt. Jaime Quiocho, chief of the police community relations office, said doing acts of kindness is essential to the well-being of any individual, as they can liberate one from self-obsession, selfishness, and isolation.

He said the program can also help highlight the good in the police force.

“Sa kapulisan kasi, maraming ginagawang mabuti kaya lang it was not highlighted, it was not recognized. Kabaligtaran kasi ang nakikita ng community… instead of highlighting the good things that the police do, yung negatibo ang nakikita. We may feel we have little to offer, but whether it’s a few pennies or a whole bankroll, pareha lang yun - good deed,” said.

CPPO Director, Senior Supt. Eric Noble, also said project will encourage policemen to shun all forms of illegal power play and condition them to become better versions of themselves.

“Walang specific project, walang pinipili,” Noble said.

The program has been proven effective in Posorobio, Pangasinan. The regional police office there was hailed best community relations unit nationwide.

The program’s partner is “Blessed Our Cops,” a non-government organization, which advocates that Jesus Christ alone can change the men and women of the Philippine National Police and which spearheads reformative programs aimed at rebuilding the public's trust to the police.

The first recipients of the commendation award will be police officers from Consolacion and San Fernando police station who refused bribery attempts from relatives of drug suspects. (FREEMAN)