BACOLOD City – The new director of the Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO) vowed a safe and secure Bacolod.
“My focus is to increase police visibility, as well as campaign against illegal drugs and other forms of criminality,” said Police Colonel Thomas Joseph Martir during Friday’s turnover of command.
“We also have to prepare for the upcoming elections and to focus on the fight against COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019),” Martir added.
Martir replaced Police Colonel Manuel Placido, who ended his 11-month stint.
Mayor Evelio Leonardia challenged Martir to “perform well” and help the city in its coronavirus pandemic response.
“The police should be the muscle in the fight against COVID-19,” said Leonardia, quoting Police Brigadier General Rolando Miranda, regional police director.
Miranda, who presided the turnover ceremony, expressed confidence that Martir would deliver “better” service.
“He grew up here. He is familiar with the place, he speaks the dialect. He has love for the BCPO,” said Miranda.
Martir had served police stations here and in Negros Occidental. He also became the chief of the Regional Mobile Force Battalion in Negros Island Region.
Martir was last assigned in Camp Crame’s Police Security and Protection Group.
Placido, on the other hand, was relieved for BCPO’s failure to solve the series of killings here. He was reassigned to Camp Crame as chief of the Explosives and Ordnance Division./PN
