The Southern Police District (SPD) will deploy more police officers on the streets as part of preemptive efforts against criminality.

In a statement Thursday, SPD director Brig. Gen. Jimili Macaraeg said this is in line with the orders of Department of the Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. and National Capital Region Police Office chief, Maj. Gen. Felipe Natividad.

He added that a total of 1,860 personnel will be deployed to render patrols in places of convergence within the southern Metro Manila area.

“Said additional personnel is comprised of 482 personnel from the DHQ (District Headquarters) also performing administrative functions, DMFB (District Mobile Force Battalion) and 1, 378 from SPD MaTaPatPaMuLaPa (Makati, Taguig, Pateros, Pasay, Muntinlupa, Las Piñas, and Parañaque) stations,” Macaraeg said.

He added that more police on the streets in hotspot crime areas is a “preventive and effective way” to lessen street crimes.

“To be more visible on the ground, especially in crime-prone areas and places of convergence are our effective deterrents and would result in lowering the rate of serious crimes, and of course, we see to it that additional patrol duty will not affect their administrative function,” Macaraeg said. (PNA)