Police lack people's trust, observers say<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): The National Police is celebrating its 50th
\nanniversary on July 1 dogged by many serious problems, most
\nnotably the public's lack of trust.<\/p>\n
Criminologist Purniyanti of the University of Indonesia said
\nthat a recent survey revealed almost 27 percent of the community
\nwould rather not report to the police the crimes they witness or
\nexperience because they think the police incapable of solving
\nthem.<\/p>\n
\"We found that the public has a misperception of the police.
\nThey don't see the police as the protector of the public,\" said
\nthe researcher at the university's Criminology Institute.<\/p>\n
National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo has earlier
\nadmitted that many people, particularly those living in remote
\nareas, prefer to report crimes to local village leaders rather
\nthan to the police.<\/p>\n
\"We still don't know why this could be, but I've instructed
\nall my personnel to serve the public as best as they can, and
\nnever to hurt anybody so that more and more people start trusting
\nthe police force,\" Dibyo said here on Thursday.<\/p>\n
He reasoned that a good image will convince people to help the
\npolice by reporting crimes promptly.<\/p>\n
Despite the police's low salary and shortages of personnel and
\nequipment, Dibyo has pledged to set up a national police force
\nwhose members are proud of their job.<\/p>\n
In the meantime, \"we are trying to provide new devices,
\nequipment, such as uniforms...in order to motivate our personnel
\nto work harder to serve the public,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Dibyo said that he had also ordered his 175,000 personnel
\nacross the country not to demand or take bribes. \"If they are
\nfound guilty of any misdeeds, they will face serious punishment,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
Bambang Widjojanto of the Indonesian Legal Aid Institute (LBH)
\nsuggested that one of the causes for the poor image of the police
\nforce is the fact that it is structurally attached to the Armed
\nForces(ABRI). It is one of the components of ABRI along with the
\nArmy, Navy and Air Force, while most other countries place their
\npolice force under the interior ministry.<\/p>\n
\"This position is affecting its role in maintaining public
\norder,\" he said. \"The police have become more of a tool of the
\nmilitary than the protector of the public.\"<\/p>\n
\"If they want to have a clean image, then they need to return
\nto be a public protector rather than an arrogant ruler, \" Bambang
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He also criticized the police for \"meddling in other people's
\nbusiness\". \"Police officers often try to do more than identifying
\na crime, which is their job. Instead, they try to 'guide' a
\nsuspect so that his confession matches a particular article of
\nthe law,\" Bambang charged. \"They should not go that far, that's
\nthe job of the courts.\"<\/p>\n
On Thursday the chief of the national police, Lt.Gen. Dibyo
\nWidodo said that the police will expand, taking in an additional
\n30,000 recruits in 1996\/1997.<\/p>\n
The plan was greeted with skepticism by experts. Purniyanti
\nstated that an increase in number may not help much.<\/p>\n
\"They need to do more than increase their numbers,\" she said.
\n\"One of the most important tasks is to raise the skills of the
\npeople they have; this could be done through in-house training
\nand workshops.\"<\/p>\n
Purniyanti believed that many high-ranking officers have
\nrealized that there is a problem. \"They know that the public has
\nhigh hopes for them. Unfortunately, their subordinates are not
\nalways able to 'interpret' their commands correctly,\" she said.<\/p>\n
\"The public should also help the police so that they can do
\ntheir job. The police can't do it all on their own,\" she said.<\/p>\n
The Criminology Institute is scheduled to launch a book titled
\nQuo Vadis Polisi next Tuesday. It contains writings by
\ncriminologists, psychologists and legal experts on the police's
\nrole in society. (06\/bsr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-lack-peoples-trust-observers-say-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}