Sky Police against crime launched today
Philstar.com - Tuesday, March 8
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) today launched its so-called “Sky Police,” which will conduct aerial anti-crime and surveillance patrols in Metro Manila and nearby regions using three recently acquired helicopters.
DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo said the new aircraft acquisition manifests fast technology upgrade, with the police force going high-tech in terms of enforcing the law and preventing lawlessness by being able to quickly respond to emergency situations.
“The Sky Police will conduct aerial patrols as well as monitor incidents and to provide surveillance, security and real time information to the PNP ground units operating in Metro Manila and its neighboring regions,” he said.
Robredo said the Sky Patrol will be manned by members of the Air Unit of the PNP special action force (PNP-SAF) who, while on aerial patrol duty, will report to two PNP units based at Camp Ricardo Papa in Taguig and at Camp Crame, Quezon City.
The Taguig-based National Capital Region Police Office’s (NCRPO’s) Regional Tactical Operations and Intelligence Center (RTOIC) and the Camp Crame-based National Operations Center were envisioned to serve as the Sky Patrol’s command and control center.
“I envision that NCRPO’s RTOIC and the PNP’s NOC will both serve as the command and control center for the deployment and employment of the Sky Patrol to be able to provide direction to police operations on the ground,” Robredo said.