Police lay down the law to promote public discipline<\/p>\n
In a last-ditch effort to address traffic problems in the
\ncity, the Jakarta Police Traffic Division recently launched a
\ncampaign to promote discipline among drivers.<\/p>\n
\"We are intensifying our monitoring of areas prone to traffic
\ncongestion, accidents and traffic violations, including the
\nmisuse of streets for illegal racing,\" said division chief Sr.
\nComr. Sulistyo Ishak.<\/p>\n
He said every police subprecinct had been instructed to
\noversee concerned locations in their areas, while the Jakarta
\nPolice Headquarters will provide backup as necessary.<\/p>\n
Jakarta has 101 police subprecincts in total, including those
\nin the outlying areas of Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi.<\/p>\n
\"If we cannot solve the traffic woes at least we can help
\nalleviate the problem.<\/p>\n
\"Our main objective is to promote public awareness of the need
\nto comply with traffic regulations,\" Sulistyo said.<\/p>\n
The public, however, generally gives a cold shoulder to any
\nefforts by the police to address traffic woes. And it is common
\nknowledge that corrupt police officers take advantage of this
\nsituation.<\/p>\n
\"We have seen police officers who are supposed to enforce the
\ntraffic rules and set an example to the public intentionally
\nbreach the regulations,\" said Farida, 39, a resident of
\nCengkareng, West Jakarta.<\/p>\n
Another resident, 40-year-old Rois of Bekasi, said: \"Just wait
\nand see how the regulations are implemented on the streets. Why
\nshould I abide by traffic regulations if I can ignore them and
\nbribe corrupt police officers for just Rp 10,000?\"<\/p>\n
Sulistyo excused the practice of officers soliciting a \"fee\"
\nto settle traffic tickets, saying police officers were just
\nsupplementing their meager salaries.<\/p>\n
Officers, he said, only receive Rp 500 for each ticket they
\nissue. And a traffic violator may have to pay between Rp 150,000
\nand Rp 500,000 in fines for each ticket.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara
\nacknowledged that his officers often did a poor job.<\/p>\n
\"But it is the public's duty to reprimand us when we do
\nsomething wrong, right?\" he said.<\/p>\n
Some tips if you are ticketed by a police officer<\/p>\n
1. Don't panic
\n2. Pull your vehicle over to a safe location on the side of the
\nroad
\n3. Have your driver's license and car registration documents
\nready to show the officer
\n4. Identify the name and rank of the officer. Don't stop unless
\nthe officer is wearing a uniform and can show you an official
\nID
\n5. Ask the officer what traffic regulation you violated and the
\nsize of the fine. Ask to see for yourself the list of traffic
\nregulations, which the officer should have with him
\n6. Check whether the charge against you is right or wrong. If
\nwrong, convey your objections politely and don't sign the ticket.
\nReceive the ticket as a summons to appear at a trial. Record the
\nincident chronologically so you can defend yourself before the
\njudge
\n7. If the charge is correct, ask when and where you must pay the
\nfine and where you can recover your documents or car if they have
\nbeen confiscated
\n8. Don't hesitate to ask about anything you aren't sure of,
\nincluding if you find something wrong with the ticket
\n9. Report officers who fail to follow the required procedures.
\nYou can contact the Police Public Affairs Division at (021)
\n5234017 or 5709250 for further information
\n10. Never try to bribe an officer as you could be charged with
\nattempting to bribe a civil servant<\/p>\n
Source: Indonesian Transparency Society (MTI)<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-lay-down-the-law-to-promote-public-discipline-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }