Manila, Sept. 2 -- he Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (COCPO) on Tuesday acknowledged the vital role of barangay local governments as effective partners in crime prevention.

During a symposium, Corporal Primitivo Dagatan Jr., COCPO's community relations focal person, said communities play complementary roles in working with the police to address crime incidents in the communities.

"The barangays, through the tanod (village watchpersons), are essential force multipliers as they are the first line of defense, especially in dealing with minor disputes," he said.

The COCPO, together with the National Police Commission-Northern Mindanao (Napolcom-10), is participating in the 31st National Crime Prevention Week, held annually every first w...