By Teofilo Garcia, Jr./Philippine News Agency

ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Police Regional Office-9 (PRO-9) has deployed 692 new policemen for a six-month on-the-job Field Training Program (FTP) across the region.
Maj. Helen Galvez, PRO-9 information officer, said Monday they were deployed to the police offices in this city and in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, and Zamboanga del Sur.
Galvez said 450 of the 692 new policemen are now with the Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO), 92 to Zamboanga del Norte, 91 to Zamboanga del Sur, and 59 Zamboanga Sibugay.
Under the watch of the Regional Special Training Unit-9 (RSTU-9), Galvez said the six-month FTP aims to expose the new policemen to actual police work in patrol, investigation, and other duties.
The newly-minted cops, she said, have just completed the six-month Public Safety Basic Recruit Course at the RSTU-9 in Pasonanca, this city.
Col. Ronaldo Llaner, deputy regional director for administration, led Monday the send-off ceremony of the 692 new policemen, who belong to the “Masiklab Class 2018-01, to undergo FTP held at Camp Col. Romeo Abendan that houses the PRO-9 headquarters in Barangay Mercedes, this city.
Meanwhile, Galvez said the Muslim policewomen undergoing FTP are allowed to wear their traditional white Hijab head cover together with their uniform while in the performance of their duty as patrol officers.
“This is to foster peace and oneness of the PNP (Philippine National Police) with the Muslim community in the region,” she said.
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