Scope and Limitations

The main focus of this study is confined with the Efficacy of

Police Visibility in Preventing Crimes. The study was carried out

at selected participants in 6 Puroks of Barangay 30,Bacolod

City,Negros Occidental.The respondents were identified and gather

their profile to provide information in order to attain the

objectives of the study.

Theoretical Framework

Routine activity theory, developed by Cohen and Felson, revolves

around three things: a “potential offender, a suitable target,

and the absence of a capable guardian” (Bottoms and Wiles, 1997,

p. 320). All three must come together in order for criminal

activity to be realized. Routine activity theory relies on the

same rational choice methodology as situational crime prevention

techniques. As in any theory, routine activity theory has its

criticisms. One of the primary criticisms is the assumption that

criminals are rational in their decision-making. They may not use

the same rationale as the person implementing the security

measures. They may not even be aware of the situational crime

prevention techniques put into effect. They may be under the

influence of drugs or alcohol or, for whatever reason, they may

simply not care about the security measures. (Glen Kitteringham,

Lawrence J. Fennelly, in Handbook of Loss Prevention and Crime

Prevention (Sixth Edition), 2020)

Routine activity theory, from Cohen and Felson (1979), emphasizes

that crime occurs when three elements converge: (1) a motivated

offender, (2) a suitable target, and (3) the absence of a capable

guardian. This theory includes the routine activities of both

offender and victim. An offender may routinely walk through

specific neighborhoods looking for homes that appear as easy

targets for burglary or into buildings in a commercial area to

seek opportunities for theft. Because in many families all adults

work, homes are often unoccupied during the day, which can become

suitable targets for burglary. “Neighborhood Watch” and alarm

systems can prevent crime. Commercial buildings without access

controls or other security methods, likewise, can become suitable

targets. A capable guardian can be ordinary people who can

intervene or serve as witnesses, or police or security personnel.

From a corporate security perspective, for example, salespeople,

truck drivers, and others who are “on the road” can become

suitable targets when a capable guardian is unavailable and a

motivated offender is encountered. Thus, security practitioners

should establish preventive programs to protect employees through

training, security and safety tips, policies, procedures,

technology, and other methods.(Philip P. Purpura, in Security and

Loss Prevention (Sixth Edition), 2013)

Based on Routine activity theory, crimes exist with the three

elements. This study focused on the Efficacy of Police Visibility

in Preventing Crimes,which this theory is applicable. As to the

motivated offender, he will commit crime to a suitable offender

when there is an absence of a capable guardian.But with Police

Visibility the crime will not be done because Policemen will

become the capable guardian. The Police officers and other types

of law enforcement can be seen as a form of protection from crime

and victimization, and thus prevent crimes from happening.

Many potential offenders, although motivated to commit a crime,

would be hesitant to do so with a police officer nearby. Capable

guardianship can also be informal.

Community connections within a neighborhood, for instance, could

offer protection from criminal behavior within the community.

This form of protection, Cohen and Felson (1979) suggest, can be

even more potent than that of law enforcement, as there are fewer

police officers patrolling neighborhoods than there are citizens.

As a result, citizens are more likely to provide informal

guardianship against potentially criminal behavior. For instance,

a neighborhood watch association may patrol their neighborhoods,

civilians may intervene during confrontations, and those in a

neighborhood may, consciously or unconsciously, maintain

surveillance in order to prevent crime and promote social order

by passing through an area at a particular time.

Just as potential targets are not limited to people, potential

guardians are not, either. A nearby security camera or a sign

indicating that there is a home burglary alarm may cause an

offender to hesitate committing a crime.

Physical barriers, such as walls around a community or fencing

around a home could constrain where the offender can intrude.

These barriers can even exist on a large level.

Felson and Boba (2010), for instance, suggest that proper urban

planning and neighborhood layout can physically and symbolically

"design out crime."

Routine activities theory also examines social context as a way

to understand crime.

Cohen and Felson (1979) explain how certain social conditions

affect the nature of people's day-to-day behaviors and therefore

influence whether motivated offenders, suitable targets, and

capable guardians will be in the same place at the same time.

For example, during major holiday shopping days, such as Black

Friday, malls will be crowded, money will change hands

frequently, and homes will be more likely to be vacant.

This seasonal shift in routine activities offers motivated

offenders increased opportunities for crimes through providing

suitable targets such as shoppers carrying money and valuables

and unattended homes to burglarize.

Cohen and Felson discussed large-scale social trends and their

implications on American crime rates as a way of testing their

theory. The first of these trends was that of women entering the

workforce in greater numbers following World War II.

As women took on jobs outside the home, many households were left

vacant for longer periods of time. Because of this, Cohen and

Felson (1979; Branic, 2015) argued, there were increased

opportunities for certain types of crime, such as burglary.

Additionally, as activities moved from outside the home to the

public, the likelihood of motivated offenders coming in contact

with suitable targets also increased.

Thus, according to routine activities theory, crime rates rose

following the second World War. Cohen and Felson (1979) also

argued that the type of objects that people carry influences how
much crime happens in wider society due to the changing

suitability of targets.

For example, a thief may be more likely to take a wallet than a

piano because the wallet is portable, concealable, and more

powerful relative to its weight than a piano (Branic, year).

Cohen and Feelson observed that, over time, many expensive

valuables such as televisions and computers reduced in size and

weight, increased in monetary value, and were owned by more

people.

For example, computers — which once took up the size of an entire

room, making theft extremely difficult — shrunk to a size

concealable in a backpack, or even a pocket.

In modern times, computers are so portable, commonplace, and

valuable that they have become prime targets for theft (Branic,

2015). Nickerson, C. (2022, Jan 11). Routine activities theory.

Simply Psychology. www.simplypsychology.org/routine-activities-

theory.html

Conceptual Framework
 This study seeks to know the profile of the respondents in 6

puroks of Barangay 30, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.The

independent variables comprises the age, sex and marital status

of the respondents. The depedent variables is The Efficacy of

Police Visibility in Preventing Crimes which would be measured

through questionnaire. Finally, the arrow represents how

independent variables affects the dependent variables.

Independent Variables Dependent Variables

Findings

1.PROFILE
 AGE
 SEX The Efficacy The Efficacy:
 MARITAL of Police  VERY EFFECTIVE
STATUS Visibility in  EFFECTIVE
 EDUCATION Preventing  LESS EFFECTIVE
AL Crimes.  NOT EFFECTIVE
ATTAINMEN
T

Related Literature

Local literature
 Director General Nicanor A. Bartolome, Chief of the

Philippine National Police (PNP), ordered all policemen

doing office work to go out and render at least four hours

of security patrols in their areas of jurisdiction.“They

will now be conducting patrol before they go to the office

and before they go home,” said Bartolome. The target time

will be from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. in the morning and from

3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the afternoon. According to

Bartolome, the PNP objective is to make use of that time on

matters that need the police concerns most, which is

patrolling the streets”. It was implemented by Bartolome in

Metro Manila while he was director of the National Capital

Region Police Office (NCRPO).

After the assessment that it was effective, Bartolome

said he wants to implement it across the country because

aside from policemen doing office work, he said some

policemen in other units will also be required to conduct

beat patrol.

He, however, clarified that only those assigned in

areas where the threat of big rebel groups like communist

and Moro rebels will be tapped for patrol. “Some of those

assigned in internal security operations will be used for

visibility because we all know that it is an essential

component to prevent crime,” said Bartolome.

 Moreover, Abat (2013) stated that in Davao City, the

police station is increasing police visibility in

communities to reduce the numbers of crimes. Most of the

policemen are outside for advocacy programs and to maximize

visibility. And also don’t let the ride in a mobile since

mostly they are on foot patrol to observe more the community

safety, this way they could easily establish connection with

the community against criminal acts. Policemen also go

house-to-house in different villages in subdivision within

the area of their responsibilities to make sure that they

are safe by the police force.

Hence, Rińen (2014), stated that Cebu City is further

strengthening police visibility in public areas where

implemented by the police as part of their strategy to lower

street crimes in program dubbed Metro Cebu Comprehensive

Deployment System (MCCDS) which in this program they will

maximize police visibility out in the streets to prevent

crimes from happening and witness more augmentation of

policemen out in the streets in beat, foot, and mobile in

covert operations. “The response to street crimes is always

police presence”, apart from increasing the number of

policemen in foot and mobile patrols, other strategies that

will be employed the establishment of checkpoints,

deployment of covert personnel and with all these done in

random manner.

Therefore, safety is a freedom from harm or danger and

the state of being safe which every person assures in the

place they were living and for their daily lives. People

need to feel safe at all times under any circumstances. It

does not matter if you are at home, at work, at school,

travelling at social event or in desperate need of emergency

assistance.

Foreign Literature

According to Levinson (2004), “the patrol exercise is

not only limited to crime control but also to reduce the

fear within the neighborhood”. This builds stronger

relationship between police and community and wins the

resident trust. Therefore, patrolling is one way of

securing, protecting, preserving the life and property and

assuring the safety of the people in the community.

Omaha police are stepping up their presence in two

well-known neighborhoods. The new beat patrols will hit the

streets of Dundee and Benson at 5:30 p.m. each night with

the goal of keeping everyone in these busy neighborhoods

safer.
 Capt. Shayna Ray said with a newly graduated class,

there are now more officers on the street. It's welcome news

for Megan Hunt and her business partner, who just opened up

the Hello Holiday shop in Dundee.

Definitely having cops doing a beat in the Dundee

neighborhood, as well as the Benson neighborhood, would not

only make the nightlife scene a little bit safer for

everybody, but just give some peace of mind to the business

owners in the whole area.

Hence, officers are to become experts in the area, they

are supposed to reach out to the community, they're supposed

to be out on foot patrol and bike patrol “Reyes said”.

This unique shift will allow them to focus on those

demand times, as well as be a little more proactive in the

area," said City Council President Pete Festersen.

The new beat will also reach out to residential areas,

where Ray says they're trying to put a dent in burglaries.

Moreover, beat policing is based on traditional

policing (late 19th century) and utilizes the close

relationship with the community members within the assigned

beat to strengthen police effectiveness and encourage

cooperative efforts to make a safer community. Beat police

typically patrol on foot or bicycle which provides more

interaction between police and community members (Miller

2013).

As stated by Manwong (2008), the patrol operations

provide continuous police service and high visibility of law

enforcement and it is the most vital component of police

work. In fact, in organizing the police organization, patrol

is considered the skeletal foundation. It is the backbone of

the department.

Some of the study focuses on police visibility just

like, Rińen (2014), statement that Cebu City is further

strengthening police visibility in public areas where

implemented by the police as part of their strategy to lower

street crimes in program dubbed Metro Cebu Comprehensive

Deployment System (MCCDS) which in this program they will

maximize police visibility out in the streets to prevent

crimes from happening and witness more augmentation of

policemen out in the streets in beat, foot, and mobile in

covert operations. “The response to street crimes is always

police presence”, apart from increasing the number of

policemen in foot and mobile patrols, other strategies that

will be employed the establishment of checkpoints,

deployment of covert personnel and with all these done in

random manner.
 Levinson (2004), stated that “the patrol exercise is

not only limited to crime control but also to reduce the

fear within the neighborhood”. This builds stronger

relationship between police and community and wins the

resident trust. Therefore, patrolling is one way of

securing, protecting, preserving the life and property and

assuring the safety of the people in the community.

Reviewed studies and literature are all commonly

concerned about the patrol programs held in order to prevent

crime and to strengthen the relationship between the

community and the law enforcers because of police

visibility.

The primary concern of patrol program is to reduced

offending behavior and victimization or violent crimes,

reduced crime rates, and has provided safer environments.

Definition of Terms

 Efficacy- the ability to produce a desired or intended

result.
 Police Visibility-Police visibility has been defined in
various ways in different studies, such as the mere presence
of the police on the streets (Pfuhl, 1983)