PUBLIC SAFETY LEADERSHIP

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, PSUPT NELVIN

MONTEREY RICOHERMOSO, REGIONAL TRAINING
DIRECTOR, NCRTC, FOR THE RECOGNITION.

DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES, LADIES AND

GENTLEMEN: GOOD AFTERNOON.

TODAY I RISE TO HONOR THE 223 SENIOR AND 220

JUNIOR GRADUATES OF PUBLIC SAFETY LEADERSHIP
COURSE. YOU ARE A FEW SELECTED MEN AND WOMEN
WHO ARE COMMITTED TO A SHARED VISION AND GOALS
FOR THE ORGANIZATION, ENCOURAGING INNOVATION
AND CREATIVITY IN PURSUIT OF PUBLIC ORDER AND
SAFETY.

IT'S VERY RARE THAT LEADERS ARE BORN. MOST

OF THEM ARE THE PRODUCT OF REAL-LIFE EXPERIENCE
IN COMBINATION WITH HIGHLY SPECIALIZED TECHNICAL
AND INTERPERSONAL SKILLS. IF YOU'VE ALREADY
GAINED VALUABLE EXPERIENCE BUILDING YOUR
CAREER IN THE EMERGENCY SERVICES, BUT ARE NOW
READY TO TAKE YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS TO THEIR
HIGHEST LEVEL, THE PUBLIC SAFETY LEADERSHIP
PROGRAM WILL GIVE YOU THE TOOLS NEEDED TO
SATISFY YOUR AMBITION.

THE GOAL OF THE PROGRAM IS TO EQUIP YOU

WITH THE TOOLS NECESSARY TO ADVANCE IN YOUR
CURRENT PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT OR IN OTHER
EMERGENCY SERVICES RELATED ENVIRONMENTS. THIS
WILL BE ANOTHER FEATHER IN YOUR ALREADY WELL-
RESPECTED CAP.

ACROSS THE WORLD, PUBLIC SAFETY IS THE MOST

IMPORTANT TASK FACING CITY GOVERNMENTS. IN
MANY POOR COUNTRIES, CRIME HOLDS BACK THE KIND
OF URBANIZATION ESSENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT. IN MANY AREAS IN OUR COUNTRY
SHOW US THAT IF THEY CAN, PEOPLE WILL FLEE A CITY
THAT FAILS TO PROVIDE BASIC PUBLIC SAFETY.

CITIES WITH CRIME PROBLEMS SHOULD BE ABLE

TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED
ABOUT THE POLICING STRATEGIES THAT REDUCE
CRIME. UNFORTUNATELY, THEY HEAR TOO OFTEN
FROM ACADEMICS AND OTHER OPINION-SHAPERS WHO
STILL SEEM TO THINK THAT POLICING STRATEGIES CAN
HAVE NO EFFECT ON CRIME RATES. THIS PERCEPTION
IS TOTALLY AT ODDS WITH THE NEW UNDERSTANDING
THAT HAS EMERGED AMONG PEOPLE LIKE US, WHO
HAVE BEEN IN THE TRENCHES, EXPERIMENTING WITH
NEW APPROACHES, AND BRINGING DOWN CRIME.

YES. IN A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY, THE NUMBER ONE

OBLIGATION OF THE GOVERNMENT IS PUBLIC SAFETY.
AND THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM IS THE ENTITY
CHARGED WITH THAT RESPONSIBILITY. THE POLICE,
THROUGH THEIR BEHAVIOR, ARE ENTRUSTED TO
ENFORCE THE LAW. A KEY CHALLENGE IS TO DO IT
CONSTITUTIONALLY. YOU CAN’T BREAK THE LAW WHILE
ENFORCING IT. AND MOST OFTEN WE, MEMBERS OF THE
POLICE FORCES, ARE JUDGED CRITICALLY WHILE
DOING OUR JOB.

WE HAVE REDUCED THE CRIME RATE IN THE

COUNTRY THROUGH SEVERAL PROGRAMS ESPECIALLY
THE WAR ON DRUGS. YET, OUR SECTOR CONTINUES TO
RECEIVE NEGATIVE CRITICISMS AND EVEN HOSTILITY
FROM MANY PEOPLE. THIS OPPOSITION BECOMES A
CHALLENGE TO ALL OF US- A MISUNDERSTANDING THAT
WE HAVE TO CONQUER AND MAKE THEM REALIZE THAT
OUR END-GOAL IS FOR THE PUBLIC SAFETY IN
GENERAL.
 IN AN EFFORT TO EXAMINE THE MANY ISSUES OF
CONCERN AND CURRENT TRENDS IN COMMUNITY
POLICING LEADERSHIP, THIS PROGRAM DISCUSSED THE
IMPORTANCE OF ENHANCING PUBLIC SAFETY TRAINING.
THE DILG WITH THE COOPERATION OF THE PHILIPPINE
NATIONAL POLICE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF
CONDUCTING NATIONAL ROUNDTABLES ON
LEADERSHIP SUSTAINABILITY.

AS THE ECONOMY CHANGES, LAW ENFORCEMENT

NEEDS TO BUILD LEADERSHIP SKILLS BY LEARNING
FROM THE BUSINESS SECTOR MODEL — A CRUCIAL
ADJUSTMENT TO THE BUSINESS OF POLICING.
PROPAGATING CULTURAL CHANGE INTERNALLY AND
EXTERNALLY AMONG AGENCIES, INITIATING
COLLABORATIVE ENGAGEMENTS WITH THE
COMMUNITY, AND ENHANCING OVERALL PUBLIC SAFETY
ARE ALL SUSTAINABILITY GOALS, ENSURING THAT THE
BUSINESS OF POLICING CONTINUES TO BE EFFECTIVE
DURING ECONOMIC CHANGE. BY DEVELOPING
EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES IN LEADERSHIP AND
COMMUNICATING THESE STRATEGIES TO ALL OFFICERS
AND THE PUBLIC, LAW ENFORCEMENT WILL GAIN THE
ADVANTAGE OF STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH
INTERNAL, EXTERNAL, AND POLITICAL AUDIENCES. THE
LESSONS AT THESE COURSES ARE IMPORTANT STEPS
TOWARD INSTITUTIONALIZING EFFECTIVE CHANGE
WITHIN POLICING. I BELIEVE THAT YOU ALL REAP ITS
BENEFITS.

BE A SITUATIONAL LEADER AND

TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADER AS WELL. AS LAW
ENFORCERS, WE ARE REQUIRED TO QUICKLY ASSESS A
SITUATION AND RECOGNIZE THE APPROPRIATE
PERSONNEL AND RESOURCES NEEDED FOR A SPECIFIC
MISSION. BECAUSE THE NATURE OF POLICE WORK IS
BOTH HIGH-RISK AND DYNAMIC, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR A
LEADER TO NAVIGATE THROUGH EVOLVING AND OFTEN
DANGEROUS CIRCUMSTANCES. POSSESSING THE
ABILITY TO DIGEST INFORMATION QUICKLY AND MAKE
DECISIONS UNDER PRESSURE IS PARAMOUNT. YOU
ALSO HAVE TO DEVELOP A VISION OF THE FUTURE
INTENDED TO EXCITE AND INSPIRE FOLLOWERS.
CREATE VALUABLE AND POSITIVE CHANGE IN YOUR
FOLLOWERS WITH THE END GOAL OF TEACHING THEM
TO BECOME LEADERS.

WE BELIEVE IN THE FUNDAMENTAL DECENCY,

VALUES, HEARTS AND MINDS OF THE PEOPLE WHO
TAKE UP THE CALLING OF POLICING AND PUBLIC
SAFETY CAREERS IN OUR DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY. IT’S
OUR PRIVILEGE TO SUPPORT YOU. WE PLACE THE
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE WE HAVE ACQUIRED IN
SERVICE TO THE MISSION-CRITICAL TASK OF YOUR
LEADERSHIP EDUCATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL
EXCELLENCE.

WE ARE PUBLIC SERVANTS. OUR VITAL AIM IS

PUBLIC SAFETY. AND WE WILL CONTINUE OUR
UNDERTAKINGS IN THAT PURSUIT.

ONCE AGAIN CONGRATULATIONS. I SALUTE YOU.

MABUHAY! THANK YOU VERY MUCH.