By Rey Anthony Chiu/PIA-Bohol | 08:42 PM January 18, 2020
Except for homicide, crimes involving the attainment of peace and order surged to an already high 17.79 percent, as local police authorities scamper to find the leak that could smear a bad image to the province that banks on tourism and more investments.
But, the good thing to note is that despite the increase in crime volume in almost every crime classification, Bohol police through the lead of Police Colonel Jonathan Cabal still managed to better their crime solution and clearance efficiencies making criminals now think twice.
During the recent joint meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council (PPOC) and the Provincial Anti Drug Abuse Council (PADAC), police Camp Dagohoy authorities bared that they tracked both peace and order and public safety incidents rising in 2019 comparted to the previous year.
In a comparative data presented to the joint council members, Camp Dagohoy through Cabal bared that from 4,928 crime cases comprising the peace and order incidents in the province from January 1 to December 31 in 2018, authorities tracked some 1,468 cases forming the significant increase in crime volume by 2019.
Peace and order incidents include crimes like theft, physical injuries, robbery, rape, murder, homicide, motor and carnapping.
The increase forms the 29.78 percent that could be critical factor in the over-all peace and order situation in Bohol.
As to public safety incidents, crime statisticians tracking the Crime Information and Reporting Analysis System also noted the 27.48 percent increase in crime volume which comprises the 801 increase in crime incidents.
In summary, total crime volume for 2018 (4,928) and 2019 (2,915) is 7,848, while by the following year, crimes rocketed to 6,396 and 3,716 for a total of 10,112, or 2,268 crime incidents over the past year resulting in the 28.93 percent up.
As to the index and non-index crime classification for peace and order incidents, police noted the same general upward trend.
For index crimes, or those committed against the Revised Penal Code, the year had Bohol experiencing 2,102 which increased to 2,476 in 2019.
With the 374 cases which could average a case a day, the increase pegged at 17.79.
For the non-index crimes, or crimes committed against special laws including anti-illegal drugs, gambling, traffic violations, and several other crimes with special penal provisions, a 38.71 percent crime increase will hound crimebusters this year.
That is because from 2,826 in 2018, the crime volume crept to 3,920 or over a thousand cases to nearly three more crimes a day compared to the previous year.
And while the initial implementation of a pinch in traffic rules in Bohol did great, the previous year showed again the seemingly unmanageable crime smudge.
Physical injuries from traffic related violations for example, in 2018, when Camp Dagohoy noted 1,609 cases, this revved to 2201, or roughly over a crime incident a day in increase.
The same trend is also present in damage to property as a result of traffic accidents.
From 1,215 traffic cases resulting in damage to properties in 2018, the figure climbed to 1,564 in 2019; the 349 cases of almost an incident a day figured in the 28.72 percent increase in crimes.
As one death in the streets is one too many, the year 2019 found an over-all 131 homicide cases, which is 40 more deaths compared to the 91 recorded in 2018.
Amidst the gloomy picture however, is a silver lining.
Despite a bleak scenario, police are able to solve crimes better in 2019, posting a 7.82 percent increase in efficiency.
That means, with the 52.40 percent increase in crime solution efficiency (CSE) in 2019 over the 48.60 percent in 2018, more and more criminals are now hailed to court to answer to their transgressions, police authorities disclosed.
Roughly, over half of the crimes last year are now considered solved, the culprits identified and is now made to answer for their infractions.
As to crime clearance, or at least when the police have identified the suspects but are still awaiting for more weighty proof and motives for the crime, police all over the province posted a 13.30 percent increase in crime clearance over the 54.10 percent pegged last year.