By Glazyl Y. Masculino
BACOLOD City – The La Carlota City Police Station in Negros Occidental unveiled the first police mascot in the Visayas in a checkpoint at Barangay 3.
Motorists who passed through the checkpoint were also given sunflowers as part of the police’s effort to welcome the New Year with joy and hope amid the pandemic.
Superintendent Jonel Guadalupe, the city police chief, said the mascot was named Patrolman Mangkas, which described the first village settlers in the city, the Mangkasanons.
Guadalupe said personnel of the police station shared part of their personal money to make a mascot, which they also brought to gift-giving activities in communities since November 2020 to get closer with the residents and their children.
“It’s unusual kasi pag checkpoint may hinuhuli minsan, pero kami nagbibigay kami ng bulaklak,” the police chief said.
Guadalupe said they gave away two dozen sunflowers which is one of the plants that grow in the city.
“It’s a way for policemen to cheer people up amid the pandemic.”
He said two personnel of the station were assigned to alternately wear the mascot if needed.
They also gave facemasks and distributed flyers to the public aimed to educate them on the police’s intensified anti-criminality campaign.
He said they were happy that they were able to entertain people during the holiday season through their mascot.
