I.    Who are the organizers of the Search?

1.     The COPS is a joint undertaking of the Rotary Club of New Manila East (RCNME) and the Metrobank Foundation, Inc. (MBFI) in partnership with PSBank and the Philippine National Police. In 1999 the Metrobank Foundation set-up an endowment fund of Ten Million Pesos specifically for the recognition of outstanding policemen. Using the technology and experience MBFI has gained in the conduct of the Search for Outstanding Teachers (SOT), the Foundation ensures objectivity in the evaluation of the nominees to the competition.

2.     The Rotary Club of New Manila East on the other hand has been conducting the Best Community Oriented Policemen (C.O.P.) since 1998. The Best C.O.P. was in recognition of the vocational and community service component of police work for the quest of peace and order over that of the punitive aspect. It sought to highlight the efforts of the police in addressing social deprivation as the source of criminality.

3.     In 2007, the PSBank, the Philippines’ second largest savings bank, partnered with Metrobank Foundation and the Rotary Club of New Manila East in the search for the Country's Outstanding Policemen in Service (COPS). Their campaign of providing due recognition to Filipino policemen who are dedicated in improving our quality of life would inspire other men and women of the Philippine National Police and other Filipinos to continue enhancing their service and to perform with competence and integrity.

II.    What are the Objectives of the Competition?

1.     The C.O.P.S. seeks to highlight the cooperative efforts between the police and the community in safeguarding the peace and order in the community. It seeks to highlight the importance of the police fostering a cooperative effort between them and the community.

2.     Thus we are looking for policemen who have actively solicited, mobilized, involved and organized the community to become fellow vanguards of the community.

III.    What is the coverage of the competition?

1.     The competition is a career achievement award. This means that the entire career contribution of the nominee is evaluated.

2.     However, only seven of the most important cases and seven community mobilization projects/activities will be requested to be documented for ease of evaluation and comparison. The seven cases should be specific and not generalizations. (e.g. Arrest of Juancho kidnap for Ransom Group not operations against Kidnap for Ransom Groups)

3.     It should be emphasized that the nominee must be able to show how he/she utilized, mobilized, or empowered the community or individual members of the community in order to achieve his/her objective.

IV.    Who can join?

1.     The competition is open to all policemen who have been in the service for at least seven years.

2.     For Commissioned officers category, nominees should have the rank of Inspector to Superintendent at the time of the submission of the nomination form and documents.

3.     For Non-Commissioned officers’ category, nominees should have the rank of PO1 to SPO4 at the time of the submission of the nomination form and documents.

4.     The nominee must be of good moral character with no pending administrative or criminal case.

5.     Those who have been Finalists of the competition for three consecutive times shall be requested to have a rest year before becoming eligible to join again.

6.     Nominees need not be Rotary Club members or depositors of Metrobank in order to join.

V.    Who can win?

1.     A maximum of four (4) Commissioned Officers and six (6) non-Commissioned Officers may be declared as winners of the competition.

2.     Slots may be allotted for a female non-commissioned officer if there are at least twenty (20) female non-commissioned officer nominees.

3.     The Final Board of Judges has the option not to award the allocation in any of the categories in order to maintain the quality and integrity of the competition.

VI.    What can be won?

1.     Each awardee will receive a cash prize of Php 250,000 and a trophy courtesy of the Metrobank Foundation, Inc.

VII.    Who can nominate?

1.     Any of the following can nominate to the competition:

·         Direct supervisor in the PNP

·         PNP Regional Director

·         City/Municipal Mayor (at most 2 Commissioned officers, 3 Non-Commissioned ~ 2 Male, 1 Female)

·         Provincial Governor (at most 2 Commissioned officers, 3 Non-Commissioned ~ 2 Male, 1 Female)

·         Rotary Club

·         NGO, Church organizations, etc.

·         TV/Radio station manager (at most one nominee for each category)

2.     The immediate supervisor of the nominee should either be the nominator or endorser.

3.     Policemen/women who wish to join the competition must be endorsed by a Rotary Club and any one of those listed above.

VIII.    How can one join?

1.     Nomination forms are available in all police stations through the Philippine National Police. In the event that the PNP station has run out of nomination forms, the nominator or the nominee can get a copy at the nearest Metrobank branch or Rotary Club.

2.     The forms can also be downloaded at the COPS website: www.cops.ph, Metrobank Foundation website: http://www.mbfoundation.org.ph, PSBank website www.psbank.com.ph, and the Philippine National Police website: http://www.pnp.gov.ph.

3.     The nomination form should be filled out completely by the nominee. No items should be left blank. The nominee should then secure the signature of his/her nominator.

4.     The accomplished nomination form with the latest 2x2 photo and the supporting documents should be submitted to any of the following in seven (7) copies in separate folders on or before February 27, 2009:

a.     Metrobank Foundation office, 15^th floor Metrobank Plaza Sen. Gil Puyat Avenue, Makati City

b.    nearest Metrobank or PSBank Branch

c.     nearest RCNME-accredited Rotary Chapter

5.     All required supporting documents reproduced in legal bond paper (8” x 13”) should be attached to each set of the accomplished nomination form. The required supporting documents are indicated at the back of the nomination form.

IX.    What clearances are required?

1.     The nominee should secure clearances from the following:

·         National Bureau of Investigation

·         Office of the Commission on Human Rights

·         Office of the Ombudsman

2.     The nominee needs to submit only one copy of all the clearances. The deadline for the submission of the clearances is on March 6, 2009, directly to the Metrobank Foundation office.

X.    Can a retired policeman join? Can one nominate dead policemen?

1.     The competition seeks to raise models of excellence within the police force which other policemen and women could emulate. The organizers also seek to restore public confidence back to the police force. As such, the organizers are looking for policemen who are still active in the service who could serve as examples within the police force.

Should there be questions or clarifications, please contact MS. GUADA B. RAMOS at (02) 857-5525, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or MR. HERO HERNANDEZ at (02) 898-8757.