Police Public Image and its Perceived Impact to the Community of Biliran Province, Philippines

The idea of police public image takes most of the interest in the field of law enforcement. Police public image means that the Philippine National Police (PNP) should be the model of professionalism, trustworthiness, and dedication. They should be seen as protectors of the community, upholding the law with integrity and fairness. The police public image is built by various factors, including their performance in the community, and media representation (Skogan & Frydl, 2004). This research paper investigates the views of informants toward the public image of police and its perceived impact to the community. Conducted in various barangays from the eight (8) Municipalities of Biliran Province, the study utilized a qualitative research design, specifically using thematic and content analyses to analyze the collected data. The respondents are barangay officials, community stakeholders, and drivers of the different barangays in each municipality of Biliran. The results revealed ten emergent themes for the views and impact police public image to the community: Responsiveness and Reliability, Respectful and Fair Treatment, Active Engagement and Presence, Excessive Use of Authority, Perceived Social Alienation Within the Community, Stereotype-Driven Views of Law Enforcement, Community- Oriented Policing Initiatives, Ethical Behavior Strengthens Community Engagement, Reduction in Crime and Disorder, and Collaborative Problem-Solving. These themes highlight the rewarding aspects of the community roles, in collaboration with the police initiatives for public awareness and safety in the community. Conversely, concerns about abuse of authority and media portrayals of police have made a negative impact with the community and affects the community relation between the law enforcement and the community.