'Police should get higher salaries'<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Police are the largest and most prestigious police
\nforce in the country. However, many residents look at the crime
\nand traffic in Greater Jakarta and wonder just what it is the
\npolice do to serve the community. In conjunction with the Jakarta
\nPolice's 55th anniversary on Dec. 6, The Jakarta Post asked some
\nresidents for their opinion on the police.<\/p>\n
Prawinoto, 32, is a freelance writer. He lives in Kebon Jeruk,
\nWest Jakarta:<\/p>\n
It is strange that the presence of police officers can
\nsometimes make me feel uncomfortable. It's not that I have done
\nsomething wrong, but it's a poorly kept secret that the police,
\nespecially the traffic police, can easily make trouble for you.<\/p>\n
However, I think the Jakarta Police are now more open and
\nprofessional compared with how they served the public five years
\nago. At least, I often hear about traffic police officers who
\nrefuse to take bribes. Some of them, not all.<\/p>\n
I think officers have to become more professional if they are
\nto serve the public.<\/p>\n
The first thing they should do is improve the welfare of
\nofficers. I believe that with higher salaries and better
\nfacilities, the police would not moonlight, extort money or
\naccept bribes.<\/p>\n
Yuni, 28, works as a translator for a company in Central
\nJakarta. She lives with her family in Depok:<\/p>\n
I personally never encounter any problems with the police, but
\nI have heard stories about their bad attitude from my brother.<\/p>\n
Once, when he was driving with his fiancee, a traffic
\npoliceman stopped him and took out a ticket book.<\/p>\n
The officer asked for Rp 300,000 (some US$33) to settle the
\nmatter and made a racial remark -- an insult, actually -- about
\nmy brother, who he thought was Chinese.<\/p>\n
And the Depok Police reprimand the drivers of public minivans
\nwho stop outside designated stops, while ignoring the firecracker
\nvendors who spill out onto the road during the fasting month.<\/p>\n
I think this is discriminatory.<\/p>\n
--The Jakarta Post<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-should-get-higher-salaries-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }