City Council OKs stern actions against rioters and criminals<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): In response to growing public concern over
\nsecurity conditions in the capital, the City Council has given
\nits approval to Jakarta Police Headquarters to take stern action
\nagainst rioters and criminals, a senior councillor said on
\nWednesday.<\/p>\n
City Council speaker Edy Waluyo said strong measures were
\nneeded as part of the effort to restore security in the city.<\/p>\n
\"We (councillors) have observed the reluctance of police
\npersonnel in taking a firm stand against rioters and criminals as
\nthey do not want their actions to be misconstrued as violating
\nthe people's basic human rights,\" Edi told reporters after a
\ncoordinating meeting of city authorities at the City Council
\nbuilding.<\/p>\n
\"And based on the support of the party factions, the council,
\ntherefore, agreed to grant its approval to the police to take
\nsuch firm action.\"<\/p>\n
Present at the meeting were Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen.
\nNurfaizi, the Jakarta Military Command's chief of staff Brig.
\nGen. Romulo Simbolon and Governor Sutiyoso.<\/p>\n
Edy said the meeting was held in response to public complaints
\nover the increasing crime rate in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"In practice, the Jakarta Police could ask for backup from the
\nmilitary (Jakarta Military Command),\" he said.<\/p>\n
The councillor added that the council's support should provide
\nmoral encouragement for the police.<\/p>\n
\"But the police must always carry out their duties in
\naccordance with the existing laws and regulations,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Edy pointed out that the city's security authorities were
\ncurrently in the process of drafting a security coordination
\nconcept.<\/p>\n
\"The concept for security coordination will then be submitted
\nto the council for further discussion, covering such matters as
\noperational directions and the proper timing for the mounting of
\nsuch a joint security operation,\" he said, while indicating that
\nthe concept would be submitted to the council for correction or
\napproval within the next few weeks.<\/p>\n
Edi added that the council would persuade the city
\nadministration to allocate funds to help finance measures to
\nrestore security in the capital.<\/p>\n
\"However, we will leave the arrangements to the city
\nadministration which will then coordinate with the relevant
\nsecurity authorities.\"<\/p>\n
Nurfaizi, who was also in attendance at the media conference
\nwith Edy, said the police were determined to take stern action by
\ndeploying police personnel in crime-prone spots so as to curb the
\nincidence of street crimes, including robbery and vehicle theft.<\/p>\n
\"I instructed my personnel two weeks ago to be firm when on
\nduty,\" he said, while indicating that police personnel have acted
\nin line with national and international standards, including the
\nprocedures requiring warning shots to be fired prior to aim being
\ntaken at the legs of criminals or rioters.<\/p>\n
He said that stern measures had been put into effect since
\nthen, with seven alleged criminals having been shot in the
\ngreater Jakarta area, three of whom died, as they tried to resist
\npolice arrest.<\/p>\n
Nurfaizi called on the media not to give a misleading
\nimpression concerning the deployment of sharpshooters at crime-
\nprone spots as every police officer had the capacity to become a
\nsharpshooter.<\/p>\n
\"This is part of the police's routine work. I've told them not
\nto hesitate in taking firm action as long as they comply with the
\nexisting laws,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The plan to deploy police sharpshooters was initially revealed
\nby Sutiyoso after a previous coordinating meeting of city
\nauthorities last month. (06)<\/p>",
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