Police to get tough on drugs<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Marking its massive campaign against illegal
\ndrugs, the National Police have taken initial internal law-
\nenforcement measures against its low-ranking officers allegedly
\ninvolved in drug abuse and trafficking.<\/p>\n
National Police chief Lt. Gen. Rusdihardjo said on Saturday
\nafter addressing a seminar on drugs at private Trisakti
\nUniversity in West Jakarta, that "so far, the National Police
\nhave identified 56 officers, ranging in rank from second-sergeant
\nto major, as being involved in drug cases nationwide."<\/p>\n
The three-star general, however, did not disclose when and
\nwhere the arrests took place.<\/p>\n
"Some of the officers, who are young, are traffickers. But,
\nmostly they are users," he said.<\/p>\n
"Consuming drugs has become some youngsters' lifestyle,
\nincluding young police personnel. The police officers will be
\nisolated from their peers if they don't consume drugs," he added.<\/p>\n
He said the National Police have meted out punishment to the
\nofficers, depending on the level of their involvement in
\noffenses.<\/p>\n
"The minimum punishment was to suspend the officers. Some have
\neven been prosecuted at military courts," he said.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo said the number of police involved in drug cases
\nhad reached an alarming level.<\/p>\n
"The national campaign against drugs will never be a success
\nif the law enforcers, including police officers, are involved in
\ntaking drugs and trafficking," he said.<\/p>\n
Besides punishing police personnel involved in drugs, the
\nNational Police are also strengthening supervision during drug
\nraids and investigations, he said.<\/p>\n
"The National Police will set rules to tighten supervision
\nduring drug raids, so the evidence will not be kept or sold by
\npolice conducting the raids," he said.<\/p>\n
The police chief said drug dealers were the ones who took
\nadvantage of police officers' involvement in drugs.<\/p>\n
"Dealers provide drugs to the young police personnel. In
\nreturn, they expect protection from the officers," he said.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo said the police could not wipe out the rampant
\ndrug trafficking and consumption in the country without help from
\nthe public.<\/p>\n
"Since the number of police is limited, the public should
\ninform the police as soon as they find illegal drugs being
\nconsumed or trafficked in their respective neighborhoods," he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
In Indonesia, one officer oversees 1,300 people. It is far
\nfrom the ideal ratio, in which one officer oversees 300 people.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo said the drug problem has worsened as only a small
\nnumber of people were willing to testify in court in drug cases.<\/p>\n
"People are still reluctant to testify in court on drug cases,
\nas they are afraid of threats by drug syndicates.<\/p>\n
"We will propose soon a draft bill to the House of
\nRepresentatives for a witness protection plan ," he said, while
\nciting that other countries, such as the United States, have such
\nrulings.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo also criticized judges for the low sentences they
\nimpose on drug users or traffickers in the country.<\/p>\n
"The judges set too many considerations in the verdict. In
\nother countries, like Malaysia, once a person smuggles more than
\n15 grams of heroin into the country, the judges will sentence him
\nor her to death," he said.<\/p>\n
He cited as an example that more than 400 people, including
\nforeigners, had been executed in Malaysia.<\/p>\n
He said illegal drug distribution here had reached a dangerous
\nlevel for the country's sustainable development programs.<\/p>\n
"The fate of the country is uncertain. Today, university
\nstudents and scholars, the future leaders of the country, have
\nalso trafficked in and consumed drugs," he said. (asa)<\/p>",
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