REVISED

PHILIPPINE NATIONAL POLICE

OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

Reference: PNP Police Operational Procedure 2013

 Sequence of Presentation:
CHAPTER 1 : GENERAL PRINCIPLES

RULE 1. FUNCTIONS OF A POLICE OFFICER

RULE 2. POLICE UNIFORM, ATTIRE AND ACCESSORIES

RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE OPERATIONS

CHAPTER 2 : OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES

RULE 4. PRE-OPERATIONAL CLEARANCE

RULE 5. INTER-UNIT COORDINATION

RULE 6. REQUIREMENTS OF POLICE OPERATIONS

RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE OPERATIONS

 CHAPTER 1 :
GENERAL PRINCIPLES

Regardless of the type of function to be performed

and/or police operations to be conducted, all PNP
personnel must know by heart and shall comply with and
apply the following principles and procedures.
 RULE 1. FUNCTIONS OF A POLICE
OFFICER

1.1 To Serve and Protect

The responsibility of every police officer is to serve the
public and protect life and property. No police operation
shall be conducted in order to serve or protect the illegal
activity of a particular person, group or criminal syndicate.
 RULE 1. FUNCTIONS OF A POLICE
OFFICER

• 1.2 To Observe Human Rights and Dignity of

Person

All PNP personnel shall respect the human rights and

dignity of the suspect/s during police operations.
 RULE 2. POLICE UNIFORM, ATTIRE AND
ACCESSORIES

• 2.1 Agency Prescribed Uniform

A police officer shall always wear the agency

prescribed uniform which is appropriate for the kind
of police operation to be undertaken.
RULE 2. POLICE UNIFORM, ATTIRE AND
ACCESSORIES

• 2.2 Appearing Before the Public

When wearing the police uniform, a police

officer shall, at all times, appear presentable,
smart and well-groomed. While on actual patrol
duties, he shall refrain from eating along the
sidewalks, smoking and reading newspapers
 RULE 2. POLICE UNIFORM, ATTIRE AND
ACCESSORIES

• 2.3 Carrying of Police Notebook, Pen and Miranda

Warning Card

Every police officer on patrol, whether on board a vehicle or

on foot patrol, must always carry with him a police notebook, a
pen and the Miranda Warning Card. The notebook, which is
approximately pocket-sized, will be used to inscribe important
events that transpire during his tour of duty.
 RULE 2. POLICE UNIFORM, ATTIRE AND
ACCESSORIES

• 2.4 Carrying of Non-Lethal Weapon in the Police Rig

Every police officer shall carry in his prescribed rig a non-

lethal weapon (pepper spray, baton or stun gun), which shall
be primarily used in a non-armed confrontation with an
uncooperative and unruly offender during the arrest.
 RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 3.1 Public Safety Operation

- includes Search, Rescue and Retrieval
Operations, Fire Drills, Earthquake Drills and similar
operations that promote public safety.
 RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE
OPERATIONS
• 3.2 Law Enforcement Operation
– includes Service of Warrant of Arrest, Implementation
of Search Warrant, Enforcement of Visitorial Powers of the
Chief, Philippine National Police and Unit Commanders,
Anti-Illegal Drugs Operation, AntiIllegal Gambling
Operations, Anti-Illegal Logging Operations, Anti-Illegal
Fishing Operations, Anti-Carnapping Operations, Anti-
Kidnapping Operations, Anti-Cyber Crime Operations and
similar operations that are conducted to enforce laws,
statutes, executive orders and ordinances.
 RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 3.3 Internal Security Operation

– includes Counter-Insurgency Operations,

Counter Terrorist Operations and similar
operations that are conducted to ensure internal
security.
 RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE
OPERATIONS
• 3.4 Special Police Operation

– includes Checkpoint Operation, Roadblock Operation, Civil

Disturbance Management Operation, Police Assistance in the
Enforcement of Demolition Eviction Injunction and Similar Orders,
Police Assistance in the Implementation of Final Court Order and
Order from Quasi-Judicial Bodies, Hostage Situation, Visit Board
Search and Seizure Onboard Marine Vessels and similar police
operations that are conducted by police units with specialized training
on the peculiarity of the mission or purpose.
RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE OPERATIONS

• 3.5 Intelligence Operation

– includes Surveillance Operation, Counter Intelligence,
Intelligence Research, Intelligence Assessment and similar
police intelligence operation conducted to gather
information related to security, public safety and order.
 RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 3.6 Investigation Operation

– includes Investigation of Crime or Incident,

Administrative Investigation and similar investigative work
necessary to determine facts and circumstances for fi ling
cases criminally or administratively.
 RULE 3. CATEGORIES OF POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 3.7 Scene of the Crime Operation (SOCO)

– includes the processing of crime scene, technical

and forensic examination of evidences and similar
scientific investigative assistance.
 CHAPTER 2 :
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES
 RULE 4. PRE-OPERATIONAL
CLEARANCE

No police operation shall be conducted without the

approval of the Chief/Commander/Head of the concerned
Police Unit/Office. A pre-operational clearance shall be filed
by the Team Leader of the operating team/s prior to the
conduct of the operation and shall be approved by the
concerned Police Unit Commander. This clearance shall be
submitted to the operations section/division of the concerned
police unit for record purposes.
 RULE 5. INTER-UNIT COORDINATION

• 5.1 Personal Coordination or by Official

Representative

Team Leader/s (TL) of local police units operating

outside their territorial jurisdiction and National Support Units
(NSUs) shall coordinate, personally or through an official
representative, with the Police Regional, Provincial or City
Police Office within whose jurisdiction the operation is to be
conducted.
 RULE 5. INTER-UNIT COORDINATION

• 5.2 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-jurisdictional pursuit operations,
coordination should be made formally using the prescribed
Coordination Form, which shall be fi led with the concerned
operation center of the Police Regional, Provincial or City Office.
 RULE 5. INTER-UNIT COORDINATION

• 5.3 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 territorial
police office through any practical/available means of
communication at anytime during the operation and, if not
possible, shall accomplish and furnish the territorial Police Office
a written incident report immediately after the termination of the
operation.
 RULE 6. REQUIREMENTS OF POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 6.1 Basic Requirements Police operations like arrest,

search and seizure, checkpoint, roadblocks, demolition
and civil disturbance management shall be conducted as
follows:
a. With a marked police vehicle;
b. Led by a Police Commissioned Officer (PCO); and
c. With personnel in prescribed police uniform or attire.
 RULE 6. REQUIREMENTS OF POLICE
OPERATIONS
• 6.2 Use of Megaphones and Similar
Instruments During actual police intervention
operations, the Team Leader shall use peaceful means
including the use of megaphones or any other similar
instruments to warn or influence the offender/s or suspect/s
to stop and/or peacefully give up.
 RULE 6. REQUIREMENTS OF POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 6.3 Warning Shots Prohibited

The police shall not use warning shots

during police intervention operations.
RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 7.1 Use of Excessive Force Prohibited

The excessive use of force during police operation is
prohibited. However, in the lawful performance of duty, a
police officer may use necessary force to accomplish his
mandated tasks of enforcing the law and maintaining peace
and order.
 RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS
• 7.2 Issuance of Verbal Warning
The police officer must first issue a verbal warning before he
could use force against an offender. As far as practicable, the verbal
warning shall be in the dialect that is known to the offender or in the
national language. Basically, the verbal warning shall consist of the
following: the police officer identifying himself; his intention; and
what he wants the offender to do. If the offender is a foreigner, the
verbal warning shall be done in the English language followed by a
demonstrative act of the police officer’s intent. The verbal warning
shall be done in a loud and clear manner.
RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 7.3 Non-Issuance of Verbal Warning

When Excusable The failure to issue a verbal warning is

excusable in cases where threat to life or property is
already imminent, and there is no other option but to use
force to subdue the offender.
RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS
• 7.4 Use of Non-Lethal Weapon

When suspect is violent or threatening, and that less

physical measures have been tried and deemed
inappropriate, a more extreme, but non-deadly measure
can be used such as baton/truncheon, pepper spray, stun
gun and other nonlethal weapon to bring the suspect under
control, or effect an arrest.
RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS
• 7.5 Application of Necessary and Reasonable Force

During confrontation with an armed offender, only such

necessary and reasonable force should be applied as
would be sufficient to overcome the resistance put up by
the offender; subdue the clear and imminent danger posed
by him; or to justify the force/act under the principles of self
defense, defense of relative, or defense of stranger.
RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 7.6 Factors to Consider in the Reasonableness of the Force

Employed
A police officer, however, is not required to afford offender/s
attacking him the opportunity for a fair or equal struggle. The
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.
RULE 7. USE OF FORCE DURING POLICE
OPERATIONS

• 7.7 Responsibility of the Police Officer in Charge

of the Operation
The police officer who is in charge of the operation
shall, at all times, exercise control over all police personnel
in the area of operation, and shall exhaust all possible
means to apply the necessary and reasonable force to
protect lives and properties during armed confrontation.
Thank You. . .