Police target crime aboard public transportation<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Responding to a significant rise in crime on buses and trains,
\ncity police are putting plain clothes detectives and uniformed
\nofficers in public vehicles.<\/p>\n
City police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani over the weekend the
\noffice's new drive, Operation Baladewa, had the ultimate goal of
\nstamping out crime in public transportation.<\/p>\n
\"We have received many reports of robberies or pickpocketing
\noffenses and so we have launched a special operation to answer
\nthese complaints. The operation will last for a month. After
\nthat, we will review it to see whether we should continue it,\"
\nFirman said.<\/p>\n
He said that during three days of bus raids, police had
\narrested 28 people for 20 offenses and confiscated evidence,
\nincluding cellular phones, watches and jewelry.<\/p>\n
He said the operation was part of police efforts to move from
\na \"defensive paradigm\" -- just waiting for residents' to report
\ncrimes -- to more proactive, \"offensive\", position.<\/p>\n
Earlier, city police authorities reported that street crime,
\nincluding robbery, pickpocketing and theft, had increased by
\nalmost 25 percent to 24,091 cases in the first five months of
\n2005 compared to 19,792 cases over the same period in 2004.<\/p>\n
Many people now express uneasiness about taking rides on the
\ncity's buses and trains. Victims have also criticized police for
\nignoring their complaints about the issue.<\/p>\n
Rudy, 31, a resident of Bekasi, West Java welcomed the
\npolice's plan.<\/p>\n
\"I think it's time for them to do that. As a regular user of
\nbuses, I have always felt that someone is after my wallet or my
\nbag. So, it is great news that they are concentrating on bus
\ncrimes,\" he told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
With the total number of commuters entering the city estimated
\nto be three million a day, Firman said police would also deploy
\nmore officers on city trains, including trains from the capital
\nto Depok, Bekasi, and Banten.<\/p>\n
\"We will focus on curbing crime in trains by deploying many
\nofficers inside several trains from and to Jakarta. We hope the
\noperation will deter criminals,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Firman said his officers had gathered data about which trains
\nhad the most cases of crimes as well as information about the
\ncriminals' methods during the past several months.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/police-target-crime-aboard-public-transportation-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}