Police need more financial aid: Experts<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Observing that police operations are expensive,
\na senior police officer and a legal observer conceded on Friday
\nthat the police often rely on \"nonbudgetary\" financing to carry
\nout their duties.<\/p>\n
Interviewed separately by The Jakarta Post, spokesman of the
\nNational Police Headquarters Brig. Gen. Dadang Garnida and legal
\nobserver Satjipto Rahardjo said the funds provided by the
\ngovernment were inadequate compared to their operational
\nexpenditures.<\/p>\n
\"The highest operational budget allocated to the police for a
\ncrime investigation is only Rp 200,000 (US$23),\" Satjipto, who is
\na law professor at the Semarang-based Diponegoro University,
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
He said the government-sponsored funding was inadequate to
\ncover the police's expenditures, citing, among other things, the
\nskyrocketing fees for transportation.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot imagine that, for example, a police officer in
\nJakarta will able to chase a criminal to Surabaya, the capital of
\nEast Java, because of the very limited budget,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Satjipto claimed that operational funds allotted to the
\nnational police were the lowest compared to other Asian
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
\"Based on a report by Asiaweek magazine, the ratio between the
\nallocated operational funds and the number of policeman is
\ninappropriate. That's why the police cannot give a thorough
\nservice to the community,\" he said, adding that a budgetary
\nincrease should be considered \"a price for safety\".<\/p>\n
Dadang said the government was asked to raise the operational
\nbudget to assist the police in solving its cases.<\/p>\n
\"The Jakarta Police contributes some Rp 6 billion ($705,882)
\nper day in driver's license fees, vehicle taxes and other
\nrevenues to the city administration. But the administration only
\ngives the city police some Rp 900 million per year for its
\nactivities,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Both Satjipto and Dadang admitted that the limited funds had
\ncaused police personnel to seek \"other sources\" to settle the
\nbudget problem.<\/p>\n
\"Some police officers may seek honest ways to cover the
\nminimum budget. But others may pursue their own interests,\" said
\nSatjipto.<\/p>\n
It is not a secret that the police often seek various ways to
\ndeal with the problem, such as by selling illegal drugs which are
\nseized during the police operations, or by providing protection
\nfor gambling dens.<\/p>\n
Another move is to ask for money from crime victims in return
\nfor the police's readiness to track down their stolen valuables.<\/p>\n
\"Anyone reporting their missing goat to the police will
\neventually have to loose their cow,\" Satjipto said, using an
\nanalogy.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Dadang praised the people who helped the police
\nwith their operational spendings.<\/p>\n
\"We thank the people who sometimes assist the police by
\nproviding funds for the police's operations,\" he said without
\nelaborating.<\/p>\n
\"Indeed, the security in the capital is not only the
\nresponsibility of the city police, but also all Jakarta
\nresidents.\"<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police chief Maj. Gen. Nurfaizi urged the city
\nadministration on Tuesday to increase the allocated budget for
\nthe city police since the annual budget was too small to finance
\nthe police's operations and activities.<\/p>\n
The two-star general refused to mention how much the budget
\nthe city police should get, but he said the current budget was
\ninadequate to finance the police's operations here.<\/p>\n
The city police comprises 18,000 personnel.<\/p>\n
Earlier on Wednesday, Governor Sutiyoso rejected Nurfaizi's
\nrequest for additional funding, saying the city administration
\nwas not responsible for increasing the budget.<\/p>\n
\"The administration is only a contributor; the responsibility
\nfor financing the city police's operations is in the hands of the
\nNational Police Headquarters,\" he said. (asa)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-need-more-financial-aid-experts-1447893297",
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