Legal expert says police must be more professional<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A legal expert says that duties performed by
\npolice will become tougher and more complicated in the future due
\nto the globalization process, stiffer competition among nations
\nand increasing public demand for better security and services.<\/p>\n
"Police need to be more professional. But this professionalism
\nshould also be shown by other forces in society, including
\njudges, prosecutors and attorneys," said Satjipto Rahardjo in a
\nseminar on policing here yesterday.<\/p>\n
Satjipto, a lecturer of the Semarang-based Diponegoro
\nUniversity in Central Java, told some 100 participants of the
\ntwo-day seminar held by the National Police Academy that
\nprofessionalism would help free police from becoming involved in
\nany political games, should the Armed Forces be involved in
\npolitics .<\/p>\n
"They will be more independent and able to set up high
\nstandards in recruiting new members and in serving the public,"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The seminar was meant as a brainstorming session for the
\npolice to help them prepare inputs for drawing up of the Broad
\nGuidelines of State Policies. The 1998 general session of the
\nPeople's Consultative Assembly will discuss and ratify the
\nguidelines.<\/p>\n
Satjipto explained that the police force should gradually free
\nitself from other agencies' political influences, start
\nappointing quality leaders and improve management.<\/p>\n
He said police have a special role in law enforcement, because
\nthey are the first party to deal with the public. Judges,
\nprosecutors and lawyers are all "desk officials", whereas police
\nare "street officers".<\/p>\n
Awaloedin Djamin, former chief of the National Police,
\nobserved a number of flaws in the role of the police in law
\nenforcement during the past 25 years.<\/p>\n
"Many people feel that they lack legal protection, don't
\nreceive equal treatment in some legal measures, and complain of
\nsluggish legal proceedings," Awaloedin said.<\/p>\n
"What we need to do to better our law enforcement record is to
\nincrease the number of police officers, improve their quality and
\ntheir wages," he suggested.<\/p>\n
The seminar also included AMW Pranarka, a political observer
\nfrom the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, and
\nlegal expert Erman Raja Gukguk of the University of Indonesia.
\nBoth focused their presentations on the so-called "legal
\ntradition" in the country.<\/p>\n
The term was coined from some passages in the 1945
\nConstitution, which state that the quality of law enforcement
\ndepends on the "spirit" of government officials.<\/p>\n
"If there were flaws in the Constitution, we could still have
\ngood law enforcement, because we have good officials," Satjipto
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Erman, however, said that there is no such thing as a "legal
\ntradition" in society. "Not everybody is enthusiastic in
\nenforcing the laws. Otherwise, we wouldn't have rampant collusion
\nand corruption and other violations of law," he said.<\/p>\n
Pranarka agreed, saying Indonesia has yet to develop the
\n"legal tradition" in its society. "It's a long process, though,
\nfor us to have a community that respects the law," he said.(16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/legal-expert-says-police-must-be-more-professional-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}