It appears there’s a lack of trust on the part of the Filipino police commanders when it comes to their beat cops. Or maybe there’s just a lack of discipline in the ranks. Come to think of it, there’s probably a fair amount of both. Because to prevent New Year’s Eve celebration from getting the best of them, the force’s officers have resorted to taping over their subordinates’ duty guns..
As tactical-life.com tells it,
Leaders of the Philippine National Police hope taping shut their men’s guns will thwart the traditional celebratory gunfire during New Year’s revelry that injures or kills several Filipinos each year.
A senior officer taped shut the ends of each of their subordinates’ weapons with masking tape and signed the end to ensure that it was not removed and stuck back on later.
Well, that’s one way to get the job done.
It’s good to know the force has so much confidence in their rank and file’s ability to follow orders, let alone refrain from endangering the general populace. Of course, there’s nothing to stop them from using their personal heaters to ring in the new year with a volley or five when the clock strikes twelve. It seems like the Philippines might be a good place to watch the ball drop from inside a substantial structure. Like maybe a bomb shelter.