Manila, Oct. 30 -- The Dagupan City Police Station has been upgraded to a city police office to better serve its population of about 187,000, which triples during daytime.

Col. Orly Pagaduan, officer-in-charge city director, said on Wednesday that the city's growing population and status as a highly urbanized and independent chartered city qualified it for the upgrade.

The upgrade was approved in September by the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the National Police Commission following a request from the city government through a resolution.

"So, through the initiation of the local government unit, because they really need to strengthen the police force and increase it because of the large population," he said in an ...