Negros Occidental registered the highest crime volume among six provinces and two highly-urbanized cities in Western Visayas within six months of 2008, while the Bacolod City Police Office and Iloilo Police Provincial Office posted a crime solution efficiency of 100 percent in the same period, police records show.

Records of the Police Regional Office showed the total crime volume in Negros Occidental at 305 in the second quarter of 2008, which, however, was lower by 39 percent, compared to 405 last year.

Police records also indicated that Negros Occidental ranked second among the lowest average monthly crime rate of 2.38 per 100,000 population, among six provinces, next only to Guimaras which was 2.06 for every 100,000 people.

Cases of murder also topped the list of index crimes committed in Negros Occidental with 49, physical injuries - 44, homicide - 27, theft - 24, robbery - 14 and six for rape.

BCPO and IPPO registered a 00 percent crime solution efficiency for index crime, or crimes that are serious in nature, which includes, murder, homicide, rape, robbery and theft, in the same period, while NOPPO got 95.54 percent solution efficiency.

While it may have 100 percent crime solution efficiency, IPPO, which is headed by Senior Supt. Ricardo de la Paz, ranked second to Negros Occidental in terms of crime volume, which was 193, Iloilo City Police Office -177, Aklan PPO -167, Antique PPO- 125, Capiz PPO- 111, BCPO -107 and Guimaras -106, police records also showed.

Meanwhile, the crime rate in Western Visayas dropped from 1,501 in the first six months of 2007 to 1,291 this year.

Of the 1,291 cases, 792 are non-index crimes and 499 non-index crimes, PRO6 records also showed.

Region 6 police director Isagani Cuevas attributed the reduction to increased police visibility through the deployment of more police personnel in streets.*GPB

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