Policing The Future: Community Stories on the Philippine National Police (PNP) Smart Policing Shift

This study aimed to explore and assess the implementation of Smart Policing Strategies of the Philippine National Police (PNP) from the point of view of community residents in Danao City, Cebu. This study utilized qualitative methods of research employing the phenomenological approach to determine the experiences, perceptions, and insights of the community toward the smart policing initiatives of the PNP. A total of fifteen (15) informants, composed of barangay officials, local business owners, youth leaders, senior citizens, and ordinary residents, were purposively selected to share their lived experiences and observations regarding the implementation of smart policing strategies in Danao City.
The data gathered through semi-structured interviews and direct observations were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. From this process, significant statements were extracted and categorized into core meanings that evolved into emergent themes, which represent the community’s evaluation of smart policing strategies. For the views on the implementation of smart policing strategies, two (2) emergent themes were identified, namely: “Police Presence as a Source of Security” and “Systematic and Organized Implementation.” For the perceived effectiveness of smart policing strategies, two (2) emergent themes emerged, namely: “Crime Reduction and Deterrence” and “Faster Police Response and Accessibility.” Regarding the effects on community trust and confidence, two (2) themes were drawn: “Increased Trust and Accountability” and “Strengthened Police–Community Relations.” As for the impact on community and public image, two (2) themes were found: “Improved Public Image and Approachability” and “Safer Communities and Stronger Cooperation.” Lastly, for the challenges and concerns, three (3) emergent themes were developed: “Sustainability and Maintenance Issues,” “Adaptability of Criminals and Social Concerns,” and “Inclusivity and Accessibility Gaps.”
The findings of the study revealed that the smart policing strategies of the PNP in Danao City have generally enhanced community safety, improved police responsiveness, and strengthened public trust. However, the study also highlighted areas for improvement, particularly in ensuring sustainability, equitable access, and stronger community involvement in smart policing efforts.

Smart Policing Strategies, Philippine National Police, Community Perception, Phenomenological Study, Criminal Justice

1. Books [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Bayley, D. H. (2006). Changing the guard: Developing democratic police abroad. Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Bittner, E. (1990). Aspects of police work. Northeastern University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Bryman, A. (2012). Social research methods (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Creswell, J. W. (2013). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (3rd ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Creswell, J. W., & Poth, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

7. Guba, E. G., & Lincoln, Y. S. (1985). Naturalistic inquiry. SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

8. Kelling, G. L., & Moore, M. H. (1988). The evolving strategy of policing: A seven-decade perspective. National Institute of Justice. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

9. Klockars, C. B., Ivkovich, S. K., Harver, W. E., & Haberfeld, M. R. (2006). The contours of police integrity. SAGE Publications. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

10. Lewin, K. (1947). Frontiers in group dynamics: Concept, method, and reality in social science. Human Relations, 1(1), 5–41. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

11. Manning, P. K. (2008). The technology of policing: Crime mapping, information technology, and the rationality of crime control. New York University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

12. Miller, L., Hess, K. M., & Orthmann, C. H. (2014). Community policing: Partnerships for problem solving (7th ed.). Cengage Learning. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

13. Ratcliffe, J. H. (2016). Intelligence-led policing. Routledge. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

14. Skolnick, J. H., & Bayley, D. H. (2002). The new blue line: Police innovation in six American cities. Free Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

15. Trochim, W. M. K. (2006). The research methods knowledge base. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

16. Atomic Dog Publishing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

17. Veblen, T. (1921). The engineers and the price system. B. W. Huebsch. Venkatesh, V., Morris, M. G., Davis, G. B., & Davis, F. D. (2003). User acceptance of information technology: Toward a unified view. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

18. MIS Quarterly, 27(3), 425–478. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

19. Walker, S., & Katz, C. M. (2018). The police in America: An introduction (9th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

20. Weisburd, D., & Braga, A. A. (2019). Police innovation: Contrasting perspectives. Cambridge University Press. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

21. Wilson, J. Q., & Kelling, G. L. (1982). Broken windows: The police and neighborhood safety. The Atlantic Monthly. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

22. Journal [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

23. Brown, S. D. (2020). Smart policing and predictive analytics: Technology, ethics, and accountability in law enforcement. Policing and Society, 30(8), 901–917. https://doi.org/10.1080/10439463.2019.1707181 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

24. Choi, J., & Lee, H. (2019). Technology acceptance in law enforcement: Examining the role of perceived usefulness and social influence. Journal of Criminal Justice Technology, 27(2), 115–130. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

25. Crank, J. P., & Langworthy, R. (1992). An institutional perspective of policing. Journal of Criminal Law and Criminology, 83(2), 338– [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

26. 363. https://doi.org/10.2307/1143832 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

27. Goldstein, H. (1979). Improving policing: A problem-oriented approach. Crime & Delinquency, 25(2), 236–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/001112877902500207 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

28. Koper, C. S., Lum, C., & Willis, J. J. (2014). Optimizing the use of technology in policing. Police Quarterly, 17(4), 460–485. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098611114548092 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

29. Lum, C., & Nagin, D. S. (2017). Reinventing American policing. Crime and Justice, 46(1), 1–45. https://doi.org/10.1086/688912 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

30. Manning, P. K. (2001). Technology’s ways. Criminology & Criminal Justice, 1(1), 83–103. https://doi.org/10.1177/1748895801001001006 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

31. Ratcliffe, J. H. (2016). Intelligence-led policing. Policing: An International Journal of Police Strategies & Management, 39(1), 10–23. https://doi.org/10.1108/PIJPSM-09-2015-0108 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

32. Reaves, B. A. (2015). Local police departments, 2013: Personnel, policies, and practices. Bureau of Justice Statistics. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

33. Taylor, B., Kubu, B., Fridell, L., Rees, C., Jordan, T., & Cheney, J. (2011). Exploring the implementation of a police organizational model. Policing: An International Journal, 34(1), 5–30. https://doi.org/10.1108/13639511111106638 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

34. Tyler, T. R., & Huo, Y. J. (2002). Trust in the law. Russell Sage Foundation. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

35. Weisburd, D., Telep, C. W., Hinkle, J. C., & Eck, J. E. (2010). Is problem-oriented policing effective? Criminology & Public [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

36. Policy, 9(1), 139–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745- 9133.2010.00617.x [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

37. Willis, J. J., & Mastrofski, S. D. (2018). Compstat and bureaucracy. Justice Quarterly, 35(2), 334–362. https://doi.org/10.1080/07418825.2017.1308475 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

39. Internet Sources [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

40. Almonte, J., & Fabillar, M. (2021). Smart policing at the barangay level: A case study in Tagbilaran City. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

41. Arboleda, J., & Jaramillo, D. (2021). Community relations and smart policing in Colombia. Policing and Society. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10439463.2022.2 147175 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

42. Bautista, K., & Santiago, M. (2020). Assessing smart policing challenges in Minglanilla and Consolacion. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

43. Danao City Government. (2023). Public safety and police services. https://danaocity.gov.ph/publicsafety/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

44. Dela Peña, M., & Villanueva, S. (2022). Community satisfaction with PNP initiatives in Lapu-Lapu City. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

45. Hernandez, M., & Silva, R. (2018). Surveillance and over-policing in Brazilian favelas. https://noria-research.com/mxac/community- policing-the-brazilian-favela-2/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

46. Jurado, F., & del Rosario, P. (2022). Community resistance to surveillance in Cagayan de Oro City. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

47. Lee, H., Lee, S., & Lim, H. (2020). Smart policing in South Korea: Public perception and trust. Sustainability, 9(10), 1921. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/9/10/1921 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

48. Lum, C., Koper, C. S., & Willis, J. J. (2017). Understanding the limits of technology’s impact on police effectiveness. https://www.ojp.gov/library/publications/understanding-limits- technologys-impact-police-effectiveness [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

49. Luna, P., & Arellano, D. (2023). Incorporating police modernization in local development plans. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

50. Mazerolle, L., Bennett, S., & Antrobus, E. (2019). Procedural justice and citizen cooperation: A meta-analysis. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

51. Ocampo, L., & Devera, R. (2023). Accountability frameworks in barangay-level smart policing. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

52. Philippine National Police. (2023). Smart policing initiatives. https://pnp.gov.ph/smart-policing-initiatives/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

53. Rahman, N. A., & Daud, S. (2019). Citizen satisfaction with smart police stations in Malaysia. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

54. https://www.europeanproceedings.com/article/10.15405/epms.2 019.12.35 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

55. Ratcliffe, J. H., & Mazerolle, L. (2018). Policing and technology: Evidence-based approaches. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

56. Santos, A., & Evangelista, J. (2021). Youth engagement in digital crime mapping in Naga City. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

57. Sarmiento, R. (2020). Philippine participation in ASEANAPOL and smart policing initiatives. https://www.aseanapol.org/display/2025/02/01/aseanapol- [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

58. executive-director-delivers-key-lecture-to-mpsa-scholars-on- transnational-organized-crime [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

59. Sharma, R., & Gupta, A. (2021). Challenges in implementing smart policing in Tier-2 Indian cities. Sensors, 21(22), 7714. https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8220/21/22/7714/xml [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

60. Tan, S. Y., & Chua, Y. P. (2020). Public perception of smart policing technologies in Singapore. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0264275 124005821 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

61. United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime. (2020). Handbook on police accountability, oversightand integrity. https://www.unodc.org/documents/justice- [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

62. andprisonreform/HB_on_Police_Accountability_Oversight_and [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

63. _Integrity.pdf [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

64. University of Cebu. (2022). Fieldwork report on smart policing awareness in Danao City. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

65. Valencia, R., & de la Cruz, L. (2022). Digital communication and community policing in Talisay, Cebu. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

66. Unpublished Materials [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

67. Del Rosario, J. T. (2022). An assessment of barangay-based policing in Northern Cebu (Unpublished research paper). Cebu Technological University. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

68. Reyes, M. L. (2021). Community perceptions of police presence in urban barangays: A qualitative study (Unpublished undergraduate thesis). University of Cebu. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

69. Other Sources [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

70. Department of the Interior and Local Government. (2020). Patrol Plan 2030: PNP transformation roadmap. https://www.dilg.gov.ph [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

71. National Privacy Commission. (2012). Data Privacy Act of 2012 (Republic Act No. 10173). https://privacy.gov.ph/data-privacy- act/ [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

72. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (1990). Republic Act No. 6975: Department of the Interior and Local Government Act of 1990. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

73. Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines. (2020). Executive Order No. 103: Strengthening digital governance in public institutions. https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

74. Philippine National Police. (2021). Smart policing framework and modernization program. https://pnp.gov.ph [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

75. PNP Directorate for Operations. (2021). Annual crime statistics report. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

76. Philippine Statistics Authority. (2022). Danao City socio-economic profile. PSA Regional Office VII. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Crime Pattern in The Province of LA Union: A Study on Index and Non-Index Crimes
• Theorizing Participation within the Juvenile Delinquency Discourse: A Critical Systemic Analysis on Children in Conflict With the Law in Davao City
• The Impact of Congestion on Rehabilitation in Akure Correctional Centre of Ondo State
• Voices Beneath the Policy: Village Reflections on Smart Policing Strategies of the Philippine National Police (Pnp)
• Confronting the Country’s Fault Lines: Insights of Legal Advocates on Social Issues and Discontentment