- PSSO pushes for active shooter drills to close response gaps
THE PUBLIC Safety and Security Office (PSSO) is strengthening its security program for schools across the city, combining embedded campus security with backup from uniformed police units as part of a broader active shooter preparedness plan.
PSSO head Angel Sumagaysay said while security personnel are already embedded in schools and colleges, PSSO will augment the number of uniformed units from the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) task force, the Philippine Coast Guard, the Bureau of Fire Protection, and the maritime police.
“We need to cluster our forces so we can avoid duplication and maximize our troops to avoid duplication and prevent the waste of resources,” Sumagaysay said during the iSpeak Media Forum on Thursday.
The office will assess overall manpower strength and distribute personnel to schools that need them most. Larger schools, he said, require greater security visibility.
To sustain the coverage, Sumagaysay said the PSSO plans to hold further meetings on a clustering strategy to deploy mobile patrol cars to rotate through school campuses.
“We can use mobile cars nila para mag-swing lang sa campus, making security more reachable for schools that need to request assistance,” he stressed.
The office is also continuing coordination meetings with the Department of Education (DepEd) to recalibrate its active shooter simulation exercise (SIMEX) program.
Sumagaysay said DepEd and the Commission on Higher Education have called for the conduct of a regional SIMEX.
Addressing active shooter threats, Sumagaysay highlighted a critical gap in emergency response, which is the crucial minutes before police forces arrive at the scene.
“When an active shooting happens, there is a critical window before law enforcement arrives. Police Operational Procedures are clear on what officers must do upon arrival, but the most critical situation occurs before they get there,” he said.
The PSSO is promoting the emergency response doctrine of “Hide, Run, and Fight. Sumagaysay clarified that for younger learners, such as elementary students, the focus remains strictly on “Hide and Run” to get out of harm’s way immediately.
To test these measures, the PSSO has coordinated with the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to conduct regular simulation exercises (SIMEX) across basic and tertiary schools.
Discussions are also underway with DEPED and CHED to organize a regional-level active shooting simulation exercise.
Sumagaysay said the PSSO will also propose to DepEd and CHED a policy requiring students to use transparent bags as an added security measure.
At present, Holy Child College of Davao and St. John Paul College of Davao have required students to use transparent bags.
