On-duty police officers 'need better equipment'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A criminologist and a lawyer have expressed
\nstrong concern over the growing number of on-duty policemen who
\nhave been attacked recently.<\/p>\n
In an attempt to minimize the number, the government should
\nincrease the number of police personnel and equip them with
\nbetter equipment, said criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah and
\nlawyer Hendardi.<\/p>\n
In Jakarta alone, at least three on-duty police officers have
\nbeen assaulted in the street in the past two weeks.<\/p>\n
The first two were attacked in Tebet, South Jakarta, and
\nBekasi respectively late last month. Both were seriously injured.<\/p>\n
The third victim was First Sgt. Witono from the elite mobile
\nbrigade squad. He was killed on duty after two people slashed his
\nleft hand with a machete and then shot him twice, in the waist
\nand stomach, while escorting a man transporting gold bars across
\nthe city.<\/p>\n
Mulyana said that about 40 on-duty police officers have been
\nattacked or killed in the capital while on duty since the
\nbeginning of 1996.<\/p>\n
\"Police officers face a high risk in carrying out their daily
\nduty,\" said the senior criminologist from the University of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
According to Mulyana, it is high time the government decreases
\nthe current ratio between the number of police and the city's
\npopulation.<\/p>\n
In Greater Jakarta, he said, the current ratio is one police
\nofficer for every 1,200 residents.<\/p>\n
\"In some areas outside the city, the figure reaches 2,000
\npeople, compared to the United Nations' recommendation of one
\nofficer to 350 residents,\" said Mulyana.<\/p>\n
With the current number of policemen, it is understandable
\nwhen police commanders can only send a single officer to do a
\nhigh-risk task, such as guarding a gold shipment, he said.<\/p>\n
According to eyewitnesses, Sergeant Witono was driving a
\nmotorcycle accompanied by a civilian carrying gold bars.<\/p>\n
Mulyana said police officers undertaking high-risk duties
\nshould be provided with equipment which could help save their
\nlives.<\/p>\n
\"The level of risk differs from one duty to another,\" he said.
\n\"The greater the risk, the better their equipment should be,\"
\nMulyana said.<\/p>\n
He supported the proposed police bill, which has aroused
\ncontroversy, particularly on a article which would allow the
\npolice to apply much sterner measures in the application of their
\nduties.<\/p>\n
\"It will be a promising solution for such a high-risk
\nprofession,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The law, he said, should have been enacted long ago as the
\nprevious police law was inadequate considering the current
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
\"The 1961 police law is very narrow-sighted while the new bill
\nhas been widened and stresses the need for greater police
\nprofessionalism,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Hendardi, the executive director of the Indonesian Legal Aid
\nAssociation, said Witono's case could prompt the police to
\nfurther raise their numbers and improve their human resources.<\/p>\n
\"But I believe the public don't yet really understand the
\nmeaning of proper security and the police also do not handle
\nsecurity assignment calls seriously,\" he said. (04)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/on-duty-police-officers-need-better-equipment-1447893297",
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