Preventing and countering violent extremism programs of a highly urbanized city police in the Philippines: An assessment

This study which focused on preventing and countering violent extremism was conducted in Baguio City Police, Baguio City in the Northern Philippines that aimed to assess the strategic, operational, and tactical capabilities of the Baguio City Police Office against criminality. This research study made used of quantitative descriptive evaluative type of research which involved 878 total respondents composed of 321 Baguio City Police Office personnel, 266 barangay officials, and 291 community residents. The Analysis of Variance was used to test its significant differences of the perceptions of the respondents that investigated the problems on the level of preparation, perceptions, degree of seriousness of the identified gaps, and the remedial solutions to the problems of the Baguio City Police Office in preventing and countering violent extremism in Baguio City. Results of the study showed that the Baguio City Police Office is functioning normally and is regularly conducting its routinary activities in the community as well as effective and efficient as to its programs and activities delivered in the community but is not extensively and strategically working with the barangay officials as well as not much on its engagement with the residents. Based on the findings of the study, this undertaking strongly recommends that the Baguio City Police Office anti-crime activities should be properly coordinated with the barangay authorities and encouraged to maintain or enhance its strategic programs like “Oplan bakal-sita,” “Barangay Ugnayan,” and the conduct of patrolling.