BCPO limits jail visits to police stations

By Glazyl Y. Masculino

BACOLOD City – Police Colonel Henry Biñas, director of Bacolod City Police Office (BCPO), ordered all 10 station commanders here to limit the visiting hours of the detainees in their respective police stations effective immediately.

This is in light of the threat of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19).

Biñas met with the station commanders during their Enhanced Managing Police Operations (EMPO) conference at the headquarters Friday.

The Bacolod top cop said that visitors should be given at least 15 minutes to visit the detainees to lessen the exposure of possible carriers of the viral disease.

He said that personnel at the police station should also observe proper social distancing and should follow proper hygiene and sanitation procedures for prevention.

“As much as possible there’s no close distance, policemen should sanitize using alcohol,” he added.

He also said that BCPO personnel at the headquarters were also advised to observe the same procedure when it comes to proper distancing and sanitation by wearing face masks if needed aside from using alcohol.

Meanwhile, Police Lieutenant Colonel Ariel Pico, BCPO public information officer, said that there will be no visitation on weekends at the jails unless the situation calls for an emergency.

Although station personnel have no equipment like thermal scanners to be used to check persons who will visit the police station, Pico said that they can request from the city government in case the need arises.

“We’ll have them checked visually for now,” he added.