PNP reminds cops: No selfies during patrols

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine National Police (PNP) has issued a memorandum reminding police officers to refrain from taking selfies while on patrol in order to avoid giving the public negative impressions.

The reminder was issued after a number of police officers posted selfies or group photos while conducting patrol operations on Facebook.

Chief Superintendent Rolando Nana, deputy regional director for operations of the National Capital Region Police Office, told police officers not to loiter in theaters, restaurants and other recreational places or sleep, smoke, read newspapers and send text messages unnecessarily.

“Playing online games, taking selfies/groupies, chewing gum, unseemly posture in public such as standing with one leg, scratching part of the body and nose picking,” the memorandum signed by Nana read.

About 85 percent of police officers have been deployed on the streets as part of the effort to improve police visibility and curb street crimes.

The PNP also issued reminders about selfies for the visit of Pope Francis and the search and rescue operations in areas stricken by Super Typhoon Yolanda.

The PNP also reprimanded a group of police officers for taking photos of themselves near a bus where several tourists were killed by a dismissed policeman during the hostage crisis at the Quirino Grandstand in 2010.