Police infractions continue unabated, worsening image<\/p>\n
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Heidy, a legal consultant for a foreign company here, complains
\nthat she has paid a lot of money to police investigators handling
\nher client's case.<\/p>\n
\"But it seems that they (the police investigators) want to ask
\nfor much more because they insist that my client's case is a
\ncrime rather than an ordinary dispute,\" she told The Jakarta Post
\nrecently.<\/p>\n
Heidy has no bargaining power over the police officers
\ninvolved as all the money was paid \"under the table\", so that she
\nhas no evidence of having paid it.<\/p>\n
\"We have no choice but to meet their demands,\" she sighed.<\/p>\n
Heidy is not the only victim of such practices, which
\nobservers say are rampant among police officers, including their
\ncommanders.<\/p>\n
West Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Bambang Wasgito recently
\nmade the headlines for allegedly blackmailing traders of
\ntraditional Chinese medicine in Glodok, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
He has denied the allegations, but copies of receipts obtained
\nby a member of the House of Representatives, Haryanto Taslam,
\nclearly implicate Bambang. The legislator submitted the copies to
\nNational Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar early in June.<\/p>\n
Based on the evidence, millions of rupiah was paid to the West
\nJakarta Police by criminal suspects or their families to finance
\nthe interests of Bambang and his personnel.<\/p>\n
For example, the receipts were reportedly for Rp 60 million to
\nhelp pay for a car for Bambang, Rp 2.5 million to repair the car
\nand Rp 2 million for entertainment purposes, as well as an
\napparent Rp 5 million payment for Bambang's deputy.<\/p>\n
This signals that blackmail is common within the police force,
\nwhich celebrates its 57th anniversary on July 1.<\/p>\n
Far from the police motto of \"to serve and protect the
\npublic\", the force's image remains tainted by allegations of
\ncorruption.<\/p>\n
\"Ask the public about it. Most people have something bad to
\nsay about the police's performance and professionalism,\" said
\nErlangga Masdiana, a criminologist at the University of
\nIndonesia.<\/p>\n
He said the poor service provided to the public simply
\nreflected that the police force, which separated from the
\nIndonesian Military in 2000, have yet to display significant
\nimprovement.<\/p>\n
Erlangga said that instead of ensuring security, police often
\ninstilled fear among the public, citing the recent case of a
\nstray bullet -- fired by Brig. Budi of the West Jakarta Police
\nwhile chasing a suspected drug dealer -- killed two girls,
\nincluding a three-year-old toddler, and injured another
\nbystander.<\/p>\n
He also said that blackmail by high-ranking police officers
\nindicated that the practice was deeply rooted in the
\norganizational structure of the police force.<\/p>\n
\"The police should not turn a blind eye to such practices.
\nOtherwise, it will totally destroy their already-tattered image,\"
\nsaid Erlangga.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara
\ndid not deny nor confirm reports of blackmail and extortion
\nwithin the police force.<\/p>\n
He simply said he would not tolerate any wrongdoing by his
\npersonnel. \"Please report any irregularities committed by police
\npersonnel to me.\"<\/p>\n
The public can send reports via short message service (SMS) to
\nMakbul at 0811822777.<\/p>\n
Violation of laws and discipline committed by police
\nfrom January to May 2003: Violation of the Criminal Code (37
\npersonnel), violation of traffic regulations (25 personnel),
\nbreaching of police conduct (19 personnel), police uniform
\ninfractions (2 personnel), police ID infractions (4 personnel),
\nvehicle registration infractions (7 personnel).<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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