Interview with Colonel Antonio Montalba
Michael Turner: It has been months since I have seen you. I understand that you just got back from the United States where you and several other senior officers attended a special course. What kind of the course was that?
Colonel Montalba : Actually it was a continuation of our Public Safety Officer Senior Executive Course. It included exposure to a more advanced police systems especially in terms of technology. We were able to observe and find out how the United States police system worked.
There were 37 of us who took the course. All senior officers from Mindanao.
This is a special training course because it serves as the stepping stone for us to be promoted one rank higher. You will not be recommended for promotion unless you go through this last phase of schooling.
Michael Turner Is it compulsory for every senior officer to attend the U.S. special course?
Colonel Montalba There are times when the senior officers will not be able to join the U.S. course primarily because of budgetary restrictions. Although the government helped us with the financial requirements, we also spent for our own. The FBI also helped.
The schooling was sponsored by the FBI. They toured us around and even took us to the Los Angeles Police Department and California’s Police Academy.
Michael Turner I know that the law enforcement system is very different than it is here in The Philippes. In fact I was surprised to find out that there were no “local police” forces. For instance, that the members of the Cagayan de Oro Police Office are all Philippine Natioinal Police. In The States we have County Sheriffs and City Police, which are independent. Then we have State Police, like in Florida, the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP), and then we have the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), which is kind of lke a State mini-FBI. Then we have national police forces like the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), which is under the Department of the Treasury. The US Coast Guard also used to be a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of the Treasury, but it is now under Homeland Security during peacetime, and under the US Navy during wartime. Then, of course be have the CIA, the FBI, NSA, Customs, Immigration and other law enforement bodies.
Colonel Montalba Yes, they have. Their system is different. Their local police, like the LAPD, is not controlled by a national office. It is controlled only by the Los Angeles government.
Michael Turner So what happens is they’re chasing a criminal and they go out of their boundary?
Colonel Montalba It’s not really a problem for them because they are equipped with modern technology. They can pass on the information easily.
Michael Turner: Actually, if they are in hot pursuit of a vehicle local police or sheriffs can pass into other local jurisdictions, but with radios and all the police cards, other agencies would quickly get involved and chase down the guy.
Colonel Montalba At the headquarters, the LAPD has 18 helicopters on-call, so it’s easy for them to carry out a hot pursuit.
Big cities like California, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas have their own police.
They have an extremely highly technological communication system. Like the one we saw at the LAPD. At their headquarters, the communication center is divided and a different group controls communication for each block. Once there is a call for police assistance, the communication center immediately receives the call and passes it on to a waiting location officer. These are like on-call police officers who are ready to take on any call. They are not necessarily out in the streets but can be inside the headquarters.
Michael Turner How sophisticated is their equipment compared to what we have in Cagayan de Oro?
Colonel Montalba There is no comparison. Our technology is primative here compared to theirs. Aside from advance technology, there are different forces, like you mentioned, with a similar nature of work like the FBI and Sheriff’s Office. So if a major calamity occurs and they join their forces together, it will be easy for them to consolidate.
Their local government is intact. It is really local in scope which means the offices are close to each other. Centralized communication and action is easier. It’s like a big compound. In one building, you can find most of the departments and offices like the city hall and SWAT.
Michael Turner What about internal security? In buildings, commercial centers? Do they have cameras?
Colonel Montalba: Yes, they have cameras. Even in commercial centers.
Also, their subdivisions have traffic lights so movements are systematic. And everything is linked to the communication center.
Their system is also televised so it is easy to monitor movements and happenings. If somebody is caught throwing trash or smoking in an area where he shouldn’t be doing so, people will notice him. So it is better to always follow the rules.
Michael Turner: What system do you think would be applicable to us here, despite the fact that USA technology is way more advanced than here in the Philippines?
Colonel Montalba: There are quite a few that we can actually adopt. Like the attitude of the police officers. The only things we’ll find difficult to adopt will be the budget and ultramodern technology.
In terms of traffic enforcement, we have a lot to learn. Most of the buildings have parking spaces so the cars do not crowd the streets and traffic enforcers have lesser headaches. They also have complete and functioning automated traffic lights. Traffic enforcement is usually done inside the building. Again, this is where their communication center comes in.
Michael Turner What did you do at the FBI headquarters?
Colonel Montalba We toured and observed their areas, facilities, and system of working. They also showed us their new equipment which were all highly sophisticated.
Michael Turner What else did you observe at the Police Academy?
Colonel Montalba: From the time we arrived up to the time we left, we heard loud shots coming from their firing range, where their police regularly practice their shooting skills. All of them are required to regularly practice unlike here in our country. Sometimes, we do not have enough bullets so that we, officers, are obligated to buy the supply on our own.
They have a very wide firing range.
Michael Turner Yeah, I have heard that PNP officers are allocated 18 bullets every 6 monthts to practice their shooting skills.
So, Were there other nationalities who took the course?
Colonel Montalba Yes. There were different groups.
Michael Turner What is the main focus of the FBI?
Colonel Montalba The main concentration of the FBI is anti-terrorism. The local police also help out but are more focused on criminality in their area.
Coordination is easy for them. And every department has a canine/K9 unit. Here in the country, most of the K9 units are found in Manila and national offices. They are very seldom found in the local/provincial units.
In the U.S., one canine is assigned one police officer.
Michael Turner You prepared an individual thesis as a result of your schooling, right? What is this all about?
Colonel Montalba My thesis is on the Intensive Peace and Order Program of Cagayan de Oro. The main focus is the reduction of crime in the city in order to main peace and order.
My thesis has actually been implemented and in fact, it contains a comparison of our city’s crime volume before and after implementation of my program. There is a significant reduction of crimes committed.
There is a great possibility that my thesis will be permanently adopted into a city ordinance. If this happens, it will also greatly help the city’s street children who are prone to crime and prostitution.