In preparation for the upcoming election period starting January 12, 2025, the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office (PPO) plans to deploy approximately 3,382 officers across the province. These officers will be tasked with managing checkpoints and enhancing police presence to ensure a secure electoral environment. According to Lt. Trisha Mae Guzman, the PPO’s information officer, the personnel will be stationed at police assistance desks, quick response teams, and polling centers during the mid-term elections scheduled for May 12.
A portion of these officers, specifically 88, will be drawn from the Provincial Mobile Force Company (PMFC), which will bolster the quick response teams. The province is set to host 2,869 clustered precincts in 1,204 voting centers, catering to over 2.1 million registered voters, as reported by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).
Lt. Guzman highlighted that the frequency and intensity of checkpoints will increase as the election day approaches. To facilitate a smooth and secure electoral process, the Provincial Election Monitoring Action Center (PEMAC) was activated on January 6. This center will act as a hub for monitoring and managing election-related data, offering real-time assistance to field-deployed officers.
The police are also calling on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities. Seven areas in Pangasinan, including the cities of Dagupan and Urdaneta, and the towns of Aguilar, Binmaley, Malasiqui, Mangaldan, and Sual, have been categorized as yellow due to past incidents related to elections.