Cordillera A+ Computer Technology College

Bersamin Bldg. Tabuk City, Kalinga 3800

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“EXCELLENCE IS OUR BUSINESS AND OUR COMMITMENT”

LAW ENFORCEMENT OPERATIONS AND PLANNING WITH CRIME MAPPING

Week: 2
Topic: PATROL PROCEDURES
Learning Objectives: At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:
1. Discuss the concept of Patrol
2. Explain the procedures and guidelines of Patrol
3. Determine if the procedures and guidelines of patrol and checkpoint are being followed

I. LESSON DISCUSSION

Patrol Procedures
1. Patrol Guidelines
a. Observe precautionary measures and personal safety while on patrol;
b. Observe defensive driving and follow traffic rules and regulations;
c. Select routes which provide best visibility;
d. Patrol members must be always on the look-out for indications of vices and other illegal activities on their
beat;
e. Patrol members must be knowledgeable of all conditions, events and details of places on their
beat;
f. Be observant of people, places, situations or conditions and develop a suspicious attitude especially if the
subject appears to be slightly out of the ordinary;
g. Keep under close observation actions of juveniles, trouble makers/agitators and the mentally ill/retarded
persons;
h. Be familiar, as much as possible, with known criminals/
i. ex-convicts residing in or frequenting the patrol beat;
j. Be familiar with stay-in employees of business establishments on your beat;
k. Be on the alert for loiterers;
l. Keep watch on uninhabited homes;
m. Observe the practice of “shaking doors” of unguarded business establishments during night patrol. Check
for signs of intrusion;
n. Establish good rapport with the people on your beat;
o. Develop contacts by getting to know as many people as possible who can give factual information about
crime conditions on the patrol beat;
p. Use tact and persuasiveness when conducting spot inquiry or questioning individuals for information;
q. When requiring identification from a suspicious person or any individual, avoid taking the wallet or bag
in which the cards/documents are placed. Let the individual remove and hand them to you;
r. When checking suspicious persons, places, buildings/ establishments and vehicles especially
during nighttime, be prepared to use your service firearm. Flashlight should be held tightly away from the
body to avoid making you a possible target; and
s. Patrol members should avoid loitering in theaters, restaurants and other recreational places.

2. Duties of Patrol Supervisors

a. In any operation, careful planning is a must in order to avoid waste of time, effort and resources. Make a
patrol plan with the following details:
(1) Area Coverage: safe haven, ambush areas and crime-prone areas;
(2) Organizational Detail of Personnel; (3) Duration;
(3) Stand-by points; and
(4) Route plan.
 b. Designate and select the members of the patrol team/s;
c. Inspect the members of the patrol for completeness of uniforms, operational readiness and all
government- issued equipment (firearms, mobile car, radio, etc.) to ensure that these are well-maintained
and properly used by the Patrol Officer;
d. Conduct briefing prior to dispatch by disseminating any orders, directives or instructions from the
Chief of Police or higher authorities and new policy or guidelines being implemented by the PNP
Organization;
e. Remind the patrol team about the strict observance of the PNP Operational Procedures;
f. Strictly observe “Buddy System” during the patrol operations;
g. Render hourly report of location and situation through radio/telephone/cellphone to Police Community
Precinct (PCP)/Station Headquarters Tactical Operation Center (TOC);
h. Render after-patrol report duly signed by detailed personnel. PCP Commanders shall collate and submit
significant details to the Station Patrol Supervisor, who in turn, will submit the same to the
Provincial/District Patrol Supervisor; and
i. Conduct debriefing after the patrol to assess its conduct and make necessary corrective measures on
defects noted.

3. Duties of Patrol Officer

a. Attend the Roll Call Formation before his Tour of Duty for briefing and likewise attend the after Tour of
Duty formation for debriefing;
b. Patrol the assigned beats, observe and check suspicious people, structures/buildings, compounds and
vehicles;
c. Observe and monitor public gatherings, prevent disorders and disperse unlawful assemblies;
d. Inspect and/or conduct surveillance in various business establishments and other installations and remove
hazards to public safety;
e. Check suspicious vehicles (private, public, or commercial/delivery vehicles) along the main roads/
highways in the course of their patrol;
f. Report occurrences and conditions which relate to crime, public peace, order and safety;
g. Prevent crimes and arrest sighted law violators, assuring the public that peace is preserved;
h. Conduct regular visitations, dialogues/consultations with the residents and other stakeholders;
i. Assist personnel of responsible agencies/unit in facilitating the flow of traffic at busy intersections/roads
within his Area of Responsibility (AOR), assist and provide pedestrian information such as directions
and street locations;
j. Enforce city/municipal ordinances on liquor establishments and night clubs, cabarets and all
houses of ill-repute;
k. Respond to calls, entertain complaints, initiate the investigation and protection of the scene and
minimize the after-effects of accidents, fires and other catastrophes;
l. Patrol Officers shall wear the prescribed patrol uniform;
m. and
n. Patrol Officers must have the equipment necessary in the performance of their duty.

4. Guidelines and Procedures when Responding to Calls for Police Assistance

a. Gather and note down in the patrol officer’s logbook all available data as to the nature of the calls, date,
time and name of the caller. It may be regular, urgent or emergency in nature.
b. The manner of approach will be dependent on the nature of the call, either with haste/secrecy or with/
without flashing lights and sirens.
c. Consider the pertinent factors like the time, traffic conditions, the possibility of greater damage and the
neighborhood characteristics.
d. Stop the patrol car some distance from the scene.
e. Approach the scene on foot, in complete silence and exercising extreme caution.
f. Immediately attend to the injured, unless the other members of the patrol are in immediate danger.
g. Focus all efforts to arrest criminals; however, priority shall be given to aiding the injured.
h. Determine the crime committed, identify and question briefly the victim/complainant and possible
witnesses at the scene.
 i. If the suspects or criminals have fled the scene before the arrival of the patrol team, immediately relay the
composition, armament, appearance, and mode and direction of escape of the suspects to the Operations
Center for the conduct of dragnet operations.
j. When responding to street fights/brawls, the patrol member should call for back-up before
intervening. If there are no injuries and insufficient corroborative statements obtained to identify who
started the fight, disperse the crowd and make complete notes.
k. Never treat calls or complaints of loud noises caused by barking dogs, drunks, appliances and parties as
negligible or a nuisance. They only need courteous and tactful intervention and not enforcement actions.
l. When responding to calls for police assistance due to planted or found explosives, never attempt to
handle, move or lift the object. Instead contact Operations Center and request for Explosive Ordnance
Disposal Team (EODT). On-lookers must be promptly led to a safe distance away from the scene. (Refer
to Rule 34).
m. When responding to calls from owners of beerhouses, bars or inns or any other similar establishments
during night time, request the owner to put the lights on first before entering the establishments.
n. Do not attempt to arbitrate and resolve conflicts/ differences between neighbors, landlords/tenants,
husband and wife.

Spot Checks/ Accosting and Pat-down Searches

A. Guidelines for Spot Check/Search

1. Grounds for Spot Check/Search
a. Spot Check/Accosting. The police officer may stop an individual for the purpose of conducting a
spot check/ accosting only when reasonable suspicion exists. Reasonable suspicion must be more than
just a hunch or feeling. In justifying the stop, the police officer must be able to point to specific facts
that, when taken together with rational inferences, reasonably warrant the stop. Such facts include,
but are not limited to, the following:
(1) The appearance or demeanor of the individual suggests that he is part of a criminal enterprise or
is engaged in a criminal act;
(2) The actions of the individual suggest that he is engaged in a criminal activity;
(3) Questionable presence of the individual in the area;
(4) The subject is carrying a suspicious object;
(5) The suspect’s clothing bulges in a manner that suggests he is carrying a weapon;
(6) The suspect has been found in the time and place proximate to an alleged crime;
(7) The police officer has knowledge of the suspect’s prior criminal record or involvement in
criminal activity; and
(8) The individual flees at the sight of a police officer.
b. Body Frisk/Pat-Down Search. A police officer has the right to perform a pat-down search if the
individual has been legitimately stopped with reasonable suspicion and when the police officer has
reason to believe that the individual possesses weapon/s on his person and poses a threat to the police
officer’s or another person’s safety. Circumstances which may justify pat-down search:
(1) The type of crime believed to be committed by the subject, particularly crimes of violence where
the threat of use or use of deadly weapon is involved;
(2) Where the police officer handles several suspects;
(3) The time of the day and the location where the pat-down search took place;
(4) Prior knowledge by the police officer of the suspect’s use of force and/or propensity to carry
deadly weapons;
(5) The appearance and demeanor of the suspect;
(6) Visual indications suggesting that the suspect is carrying a firearm or other deadly weapon; and\
(7) Whenever possible, pat-down searches should be performed by police officers of the same
gender.
2. Procedures and Guidelines
a. Spot Check/ Accosting
(1) When approaching the individual, the police officer shall clearly identify himself as a police
officer. If not in uniform, the police officer must identify himself by announcing his identity and
displaying official identification card and/or badge.
 (2) Police officers shall be courteous at all times but maintain caution and remain vigilant for
suspicious movements like attempting to retrieve weapon, conceal or discard contraband, or
other similar actions.
(3) Before approaching more than one individual, police officers should determine whether the
circumstances warrant a request for back-up and whether the spot check/accosting can and
should be delayed until such back-up arrives.
(4) Police officers shall confine their questions as to the person’s identity, place of residence, and
other inquiries necessary to resolve the police officer’s suspicion. However, in no instance shall
a police officer hold a person longer than the period reasonably necessary to be able to make
these limited inquiries and to resolve suspicions.
(5) Police officers are not required to inform the person of his rights under the law (i.e. Miranda
Warning, Anti-torture law, etc.) unless the person is placed under arrest.
b. Body Frisk/Pat-Down Search
When reasonable suspicion justifies a pat-down search, the search should be performed with due
caution, restraint, and sensitivity. Pat-down searches should be conducted in the following manner:
(1) Whenever possible, pat-down searches should be conducted by at least two (2) police officers,
one to perform the search while the other provides protective cover.
(2) Because pat-down searches are cursory in nature, they should be performed with the suspect in a
standing position, or with hands placed against a stationary object, and feet spread apart.
However, should an officer visually observe a weapon, a more secure search position may be
used like the prone (lying face down) position.
(3) In a pat-down search, officers are permitted only to feel the outer clothing of the suspect. Police
officers may not place their hands inside the pockets of the subject’s clothing unless they feel an
object that could probably be a weapon, such as a gun, knife, club, or the like.
(4) If the suspect is carrying an object such as a handbag, suitcase, briefcase, sack, or other similar
items that may conceal a weapon, the police officer should not open the item but instead put it in
a place out of the suspect’s reach.
(5) If the external patting of the suspect’s clothing fails to disclose evidence of a weapon, no further
search may be made. If a weapon is found and the possession of which amounts to a violation of
the law, the police officer shall arrest the suspect and conduct a complete search of his person.

3. Reporting after the Spot Check/ Accosting or Pat-down Searches

If after conducting a spot check/accosting or pat-down search, the police officer has no basis for making
an arrest, he should record the facts of such spot check/accosting or pat-down search and forward a report
to the appropriate authority. If the spot check/accosting or pat-down search gives a justification for a valid
warrantless arrest, then an arrest shall be made.

II. A. REFERENCES:
 Padduyao, F. (2020).Law Enforcement Operations and Planning with Crime Mapping. Quezon City.
Wiseman’s Books Trading, Inc.
B. SUGGESTED READINGS:
 Revised Philippine National Police Operational Procedures (2013)
 Ranji, R. (2014). Police Patrol. Retrieved August 21, 2020 from: https://www.slideshare.net/ranjireshu
/police-patrol