SUBJECT : POLICE OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE- 2021

STUDENTS : PSJLC 2024-02

INSTRUCTOR: BENITO OLEA RAMOS JR DSC, MPA
POLICE COLONEL ( Retired)

CHAPTER 1-GENERAL GUIDELINES:

Section 1-1 Police Uniform and Accessories

1.1 Agency Prescribed Uniform. A police officer shall always wear the prescribed uniform for the kind of police
operation to be undertaken.
1.2 Appearing Before the Public. When wearing the police uniform, a police officer shall, at all times, appear to
look presentable, respectable, smart, and well groomed. A police officer shall refrain from doing unnecessary
activities and/or actions while on duty
1.3 Carrying of Basic Police Equipment. Every police officer on patrol, whether on board a vehicle or on foot patrol,
shall always carry with him/her his/ her issued firearm, and other equipment such as but not limited to restraint
device, impact device and personal protective equipment. He/she shall also use other accessories required for the
specific police operation being conducted.

Section 1-2 Categories of Police Operations:

1.4 Patrol Operations. The most basic police function and known as the backbone of policing.
1.5 Law Enforcement Operations. Include service of warrant of arrest, implementation of search warrant,
enforcement of visitorial powers of the Chiefs of Police, and other anti-criminality operations.
1.6 Internal Security Operations. Include counterterrorism operations and similar operations against other threat
groups that are conducted to ensure internal security.
1.7 Public Safety Operations - Include critical incident management procedures, search, rescue and retrieval
operations, hostage situation, civil disturbance management operation, management of health hazards and other
operations that promote public safety.
1.8 Special Police Operations. Include high-risk checkpoint and roadblock operation, police assistance in the
implementation of order from the court and other quasi-judicial bodies, security to major and special events,
aircraft hijacking operations, visit, board, search and seizure of marine vessels, and similar police operations that
are conducted by police units with specialized training on the peculiarity of the mission or purpose.
1.9 Investigation Operations. Include investigation of crime or incident, Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO),
administrative investigation and other investigative work necessary to determine facts and circumstances for filing
cases criminally or administratively.
1.10 Police Community Relations. Include three interrelated dimensions to accomplish its mission namely:
community affairs and development, public information, and information development operations to forge
partnership and strengthen collaboration and linkages with the community.

CHAPTER 2-OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES:

 All PNP personnel shall respect and uphold the human rights and dignity of all persons at all times.
 Section 2-1 Pre-Operational Clearance.
In all planned police operations, the team leader of the operating team/s shall secure a Pre-Operation
Clearance prior to the conduct of operation.
This clearance must be approved by their Chief/Commander/Head of Office/Unit and must be submitted
at the Operations Section/Division of the concerned operating police units for record purposes
Section 2-2 Coordination:
2.1 Inter-Office Coordination.
 The operations officer or Team Leader/s (TL) of Local Police Units (LPUs) operating
outside their territorial jurisdiction and National Support units (NSUs)
 Shall, whenever practicable, coordinate personally at any levels of police offices (Police
Regional Office (PRO)
 To Municipal Police Station (MPS)) or other friendly units within whose jurisdiction the
operation is to be conducted.
2.2 Coordination by Filing Coordination Form.
 Prior to the launching of the operation except in cases where the formal (in writing) inter-unit
coordination cannot be made due to the nature and/or urgency of the situation such as, but not limited
to, cross-jurisdiction pursuit operations, coordination should be made formally using the prescribed
Coordination Form, which shall be filed with the concerned operation center of the Police Regional,
Provincial or City Police Office and Police Stations
2.3 Coordination by Practical/Available Means of Communication.
 In cases where formal inter-unit coordination is not feasible, the Police Unit concerned shall endeavor to
notify the Local Police Unit (LPU) through any practical/available means of communication including but
not limited to electronic or signal communication at any time before the operation and shall accomplish
and furnish the LPU a written incident report immediately after the termination of the operation.
Section 2-3 Requirements of Police Operations:
2.4 Basic Requirements. Police operations such as but not limited to arrest, search and seizure, checkpoint,
roadblocks, and civil disturbance management shall, whenever applicable and practicable, be conducted as
follows:
a. With marked police vehicle;
b. Led by a Police Commissioned Officer (PCO) or the most senior Police Non-Commissioned Officer (PNCO)
in the absence or unavailability of a PCO; and

c. With personnel in prescribed police uniform EXCEPT for covert operatives when serving warrant of arrest
provided personnel in uniform shall be present during the arrest

d. With the use of Body Worn Cameras (BWCs) and/or Alternative Recording Devices (ARDs) during the
conduct of searches and arrests.
2.5 Use of Megaphones and Similar Instruments/devices. During actual police intervention operations, the Team
Leader shall use peaceful means including the use of megaphones or any other similar instruments/devices to warn
or influence the offender/s or suspect/s to stop and/or peacefully surrender.
2.6 Accessories. A police officer may carry or use accessories appropriate to the police operation being performed.
Accessories may include, ballistic vest, handheld radio, first aid kit, flashlight, hand cuff, whistle and non-
lethal equipment but not limited to baton, truncheon, and night stick to be used in a nonarmed confrontation with
a violent, uncooperative and unruly offender
2.7 Use of Body Worn Camera:
a. Chain of Custody over the Recordings in the Execution of Arrest and
Search: The chain of custody over the recordings shall at all times be
preserved from improper access, review, and tampering. It shall cover the
following events:
1). Recording of the footage using the BWCs/ARDs;
2) Turnover of the BWCs/ARDs used by the arresting or searching team, or of the data by the media representative
to the Data Custodian to which they belong;
3). Downloading of the data by the Data Custodian;
4). Redaction of personal identities by the Data Custodian or his/her representative, whenever applicable.
5) Retrieval of recording data and their transfer to an external media storage device by the Data Custodian;
6) Submission and delivery of the recordings contained in an external media storage device to the court.

b. The BWC/ARD shall be used/activated during the conduct of arrest,

search and whenever practicable, in cases of warrantless arrests. The rules
on the use of BWC under A.M. No. 21-06-08-SC shall be observed.
c. The BWC/ARD shall not be used/activated in the following
circumstances:
1) In police facilities unless in an official capacity, or as part of an investigation procedure;
2) Conduct of any personal activity (in any location where individuals have a reasonable expectation of
privacy, such as restrooms, locker rooms, or break rooms). As a reminder, there is potential criminal and
civil liability if this restriction is violated;

3) Conduct of any personal activity in locations where individuals have reasonable expectation of privacy such
as in residences, unless the recording is being made pursuant to a valid arrest or search warrant of the
individuals or locations;

4) During strip or body cavity searches when such is necessary as provided in the warrant;

5) Conduct of tactical planning before the planned operation;

6) Intentionally activated to record conversations/communications between PNP personnel without their

knowledge during routine, and other non-law enforcement related activities;
7) Between confidential informants or undercover officers;
8) Privileged communications between the subject of recordings and other individuals, such as attorneys,

members of the clergy, peer support councilors and medical professionals;

9) While on the grounds of any public, private or parochial elementary or secondary school, hospitals,
churches and other places of worship except when responding to an imminent threat to life or health; and
10) Other circumstances as may be provided by the trial court issuing the warrant which is part of
constitutional privilege and where the dignity of an individual may outweigh the public necessity for
recording.
Section 2-4 Use of Force Policy:
2.8 Application of Necessary and Reasonable Force. In the lawful performance of duty, a police officer shall use
necessary and reasonable force to accomplish his/her mandated task of enforcing the law and maintaining peace
and order.
 A police officer, however, is not required to afford the offender/s attacking him/ her the opportunity for a
fair or equal struggle.
 The necessity and reasonableness of the force employed will depend upon the number of aggressors,
nature and characteristic of the weapon used, physical condition, size and other circumstances to include
the place and occasion of the assault.
 The police officer is given the sound discretion to consider these factors in employing reasonable force
 During confrontation with an armed offender, only such necessary and reasonable force shall be applied
as would be sufficient to overcome the aggression by the offender; subdue the clear and imminent danger
posed by him/her; or to justify the force/act under the principles of self-defense, defense of relative,
defense of stranger or fulfillment of duty, in accordance with the elements laid down by law and
jurisprudence.
 The excessive use of force to arrest or immobilize the suspect during police operation is prohibited

2.9 The Force Continuum. It is a linear-progressive decision-making process

which displays the array of police reasonable responses commensurate to
the level of suspect/law offender’s resistance to effect compliance, arrest
and other law enforcement actions.
 It allows police officer responses to be flexible and/or employ reasonable force in either sequential,
consecutive or combination of options against the dynamic suspect/s or law offender/s threats or
resistances.
 In all instances, the professional and respectable deportment of police as public safety servants, civil use
of language, well-mannered decorum and utmost respect for human rights shall be observed.
a. Three Approaches on The Use of Force Continuum:

1) Non-Lethal Approach. This involves the police presence in crime-prone areas and the employment of activities
or actions to persuade and/or request cooperation of people particularly suspects and law offenders to police
instructions and other control efforts.

Table 1.1 Non-Lethal Approach:

b. Guidelines on the De-Escalation of Response. At any time when the suspects or law offenders comply,
cooperate or surrender to police control efforts, the police officer must de-escalate to the appropriate level of
approach.
 However, he/she shall remain vigilant on the possibility of escalation of response whenever reasonable
and necessary or depending on the prevailing situation
Table 1.2 Less Lethal Approach:
• Suspect Threats or Resistance: Assaultive Resistance:
• Unarmed.
• Non-compliant, uncooperative and verbally abusive to the police and other persons.
• Unlawful aggression or attempts (apparent intent) to make physical contact, control or assault.
• Employs or uses bodily force or active aggression (push, throw, strike, tackle or physical harm) that may or may
not cause injury to the police officer or other persons/self.

Police Response/Equipment:
 Impact Weapons (such as Batons, Truncheons and/or Night Stick)
 Exert due diligence in the employment of reasonable force through impact weapons and ensure that it
will not cause serious injury or death.
 Target only the fleshy parts of the body such as arms, torso, legs, and thighs.
 As much as possible, avoid hitting the head, neck, face, groin, solar plexus, kidneys and spinal column
areas

3) Lethal Approach. This involves the employment of lethal equipment

usually as last resort. Lethal force will only be employed when all other
approaches have been exhausted and found to be insufficient to thwart the
life-threatening actions or omissions posed by armed suspect or law
offender. This approach carries with it the greater responsibility as it may
result to severe injury and serious bodily harm and/or death.

Table 1.3 Lethal Approach:

Suspect Threat or Resistance: Serious Injury and/or Death:
Armed and dangerous.
Unlawful aggression and/or intention to cause severe injury, serious bodily harm and/or death to police
officer/s and other people.

Police Response/Equipment:
 The use of conventional weapons, such as hand guns and rifles, are authorized to prevent or repel the
unlawful aggression and immobilize the suspect.
 As much as possible, avoid hitting the head or other vital parts of the body.
 Wounded persons/suspects must be given first aid and/or brought to the nearest hospital at the first
possible opportunity.

a. Guidelines on the De-Escalation of Response. At any time when the suspects or law offenders comply,
cooperate or surrender to police control efforts, the police officer must de-escalate to the appropriate
level of approach. However, he/she shall remain vigilant on the possibility of escalation of response
whenever reasonable and necessary or depending on the prevailing situation.
b. Guidelines on the De-Escalation of Response. At any time when the suspects or law offenders comply,
cooperate or surrender to police control efforts, the police officer must de-escalate to the appropriate
level of approach. However, he/she shall remain vigilant on the possibility of escalation of response

whenever reasonable and necessary or depending on the prevailing situation.

2.10 Responsibility of the Police Officer in Charge of the Operations. The police officer who is in charge of the
operation shall, at all times, observe the Force Continuum and exercise control over all police personnel in the area
of operation to protect lives and properties.
Section 2-5 Use of Firearm During Police Operations:
2.11 Use of Firearm When Justified.The use of firearm is justified if the offender poses an imminent danger of
causing death or injury to the police officer or other persons. The use of firearm is also justified under the doctrines
of self-defense, defense of a relative, and defense of a stranger. However, one who resorts to self defense must face
a real threat on his/her life, and the peril sought to be avoided must be actual, imminent and real. Unlawful
aggression should be present for self defense to be considered as a justifying circumstance.

 The police shall not use warning shots during police operation except when the police officer is
outnumbered and overpowered, and his/her life and limb is in imminent danger.
2.12 Firing at Moving Vehicles is prohibited.
 A moving vehicle and its occupants shall not be fired upon except when its occupants pose imminent
danger of causing death or injury to the police officer or any other person, and that the use of firearm
does not create any danger to the public and outweighs the likely benefits of its non-use.

 In firing at a moving vehicle, the following parameters should be

considered:
a. The intent of the suspect/s to harm the police officer or other persons;
b. The capability of the suspect/s to harm with certainty the police officer or other persons; and
c. Accessibility or the proximity of the suspect/s from the police officer and other persons.

2.13 Filing of an Incident Report After the Use of Firearm.

A police officer who fires his/her service firearm or weapon during a confrontation with an offender or

offenders must submit an incident report outlining the circumstances necessitating the use of his/her firearm.

2.14 Procedures After an Armed Confrontation. Immediately after an armed

confrontation, the officer who is in charge of the operation, when applicable,
shall:
a. Secure the site of confrontation;

b. Check whether the situation still poses imminent danger;

c. Take photographs;

d. Evacuate all wounded to the nearest hospital regardless of the extent of injury;

e. Keep arrested suspects in isolation;

f. Conduct debriefing on all involved PNP operatives;

g. Submit After-Operations Report; and

h. Ensure psychological stress counselling for all involved PNP Operatives