Cops and helmets

Published by the Visayan Daily Star Publications, Inc.

NINFA R. LEONARDIA Editor-in-Chief & President

CARLA P. GOMEZ Editor GUILLERMO TEJIDA III Desk Editor NANETTE L. GUADALQUIVER Busines Editor CEDELF P. TUPAS Sports Editor (On Leave) RENE GENOVE Bureau Chief, Dumaguete MAJA P. DELY Advertising Coordinator

CARLOS ANTONIO L. LEONARDIA Administrative Officer

Philippine National Police Director General Avelino Razon has ordered policemen to wear helmets when riding on motorcycles, telling reporters that fellow policemen would arrest policemen caught riding without helmets.

General Razon, who is also a motorcycle rider, said that the Police are enforcing a “no helmet, no travel” policy for private motorcycle riders on city roads and should therefore set the example.  The fact of the matter is, policemen riding motorcycles without helmets are a common sight all over this country, and hopefully this warning by the PNP Director himself will stop this hypocritical practice of law enforcers themselves being the principal violators.

General Razon’s well-meaning warning is obviously welcome, as we do not want to see fatal accidents involving policemen and motorcycles because the driver was not wearing protective headgear. It has been frustrating for many observant motorists to see those people who are supposed to enforce our laws take the lead when it comes to ignoring those laws.  The real test of this gesture is whether or not policemen actually go as far as to arrest, or even just give a stern warning to fellow policemen for not wearing helmets, especially if they recognize the offender as a friend, or even worse, a superior officer.

Our policemen being able to show that they can actually police themselves when it comes to the use of helmets when riding motorcycles, whether on or off duty, will be a very important test on their ability to police themselves.  If by some miracle they can consistently prove to the public that it is possible, then maybe they can move up to policing themselves on more important matters like mulcting, extortion, bribery, corruption, and other illegal activities that continue to tarnish the reputation of this nation’s police force.*