PNP 911 demo catches real-life police response in Davao del Norte

What was supposed to only be a simulation turned out to be a real-life police response as the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Philippine National Police tested the country’s latest 9-1-1 response technology on Wednesday. 

In Jun Veneracion’s report in “24 Oras,” the police responded to a 9-1-1 call from Panabo, Davao del Norte which was witnessed by PNP chief General Nicolas Torre III from Camp Crame in Quezon City. 

The caller sought help because of a suspicious man who checked in at a small hotel. The man is also the suspect in an earlier shooting incident in Tagum City, the report said. 

The police response was caught in real-time  through body cameras worn by responding cops. 

“Despite the technology we are using, we are doing very well. But sa bagong sistema natin I think the PNP will have a better response time,” said Department of  Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jonvic Remulla. 

The new 9-1-1 system will be operational by the middle of August. The system is from a technology provider that won the bid for a contract worth over P1.4 billion. 

Among the features of the latest system is the capability to detect the location of the caller. 

“Ang features niya ay language sensitive. So kung tatawag ka sa Pampanga, Kapampangan ang sasagot sa iyo,” said Remulla. 

(Among the features is that it is language sensitive. For instance, if you call from Pampanga, you will receive a response in Kapampangan.) 

Police said prank callers will also be easily caught by the latest technology. — Vince Angelo Ferreras/RF, GMA Integrated News