Implementation of Police Community Relation in an Upland Municipality of Ilocos Sur

Abstract

Although the implementation of policy-community relations in Banayoyo, Ilocos Sur indicating a gap between the perceived level of implementation and the lived experiences of community stakeholders, the presence of several remaining challenges, including low community trust, perceived bias in enforcing the law, inattentiveness at duty, and community involvement, reveal that implementation and perceptions of policing strategies are still not aligned, which means that more needs to be done to rectify and reinforce community-oriented policing policies. This study provides localized evidence on police–community relations in a rural upland municipality, highlighting perception gaps that may inform more inclusive and trust-centered policing strategies. Further, it examined the implementation of police-community relations (PCR) in the upland municipality of Banayoyo, Ilocos Sur, focusing on the application of community-oriented policing (COP) strategies to enhance peace, order, and public safety. The scope of the study covered the extent of PCR implementation across patrol activities, organizational work, community interaction, crime prevention, community trust, traffic response, and information sharing. It was delimited to the perceptions of three groups of respondents, law enforcement officers, barangay council members, and households within the municipality, using a descriptive-comparative research design and a validated, structured questionnaire. Findings revealed a very high level of implementation of police-community relations across all indicators, particularly in patrol activities and crime prevention, reflecting the commitment of law enforcement officers in maintaining peace and order. However, results also showed a significant difference in perceptions among the respondent groups, with law enforcement officers rating the implementation higher than the barangay councils and households, who shared a similar level of perception. Despite the positive outcomes, several issues were identified, including a lack of trust between the police and the community, perceived bias in law enforcement, inattentiveness while on duty, and inadequate community engagement. Based on these findings, the study recommends adopting a comprehensive action plan to strengthen police-community partnerships. Regular seminars and training on police-community affairs, leadership, and ethical conduct are proposed, alongside consistent LGU-community dialogues and enhanced enforcement strategies to promote transparency, trust, and collaboration