Rusdihardjo wants an end to political intervention<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Newly installed National Police chief Lt. Gen.
\nRusdihardjo urged the nation on Friday to no longer allow any
\nparties to intervene in police work for their own benefit.<\/p>\n
In his speech, marking the official handover of his new post
\nfrom his predecessor, Gen. Roesmanhadi, Rusdihardjo underlined
\nthat police in every democratic nation should be independent in
\ncarrying out their task of upholding and protecting human rights.<\/p>\n
\"History has taught us the fact that police who are influenced
\nby other interests outside of the law, particularly political
\ninterests, are always forced to use power as a tool.<\/p>\n
Consequently, the public sees the police more as an oppressor
\nthan a law upholder, and more as a political tool than a public
\nservant,\" Rusdihardjo said during the ceremony at the National
\nPolice Mobile Brigade Headquarters in Kelapa Dua, south of
\nJakarta.<\/p>\n
The ceremony was attended by hundreds of guests, including
\nscores of active and retired top-brass police and military staff.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo reminded all of his some 187,000 police personnel
\nnationwide of the ongoing strong public criticism of the force.<\/p>\n
\"The people have reacted to our behavior. They have protested
\nagainst us, insulted us, acted brutally towards our officers in
\nthe field and even damaged the National Police Headquarters,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo, however, did not clarify what he said about
\ndamage to the police headquarters on Jl. Trunojoyo in South
\nJakarta; there have been no reports so far about the headquarters
\nbecoming a target for violent demonstrations.<\/p>\n
However, in January 1996, the headquarters, including the
\noffice of the National Police chief, was razed by fire. No
\nofficial information about the cause of the fire has ever been
\ndisclosed.<\/p>\n
In his speech, Rusdihardjo, who was once chief of the National
\nPolice detectives, urged all police personnel to change their
\n\"authoritarian and militaristic\" attitude.<\/p>\n
\"If we carry on this way, people will end up totally rejecting
\nthe credibility of the police as security enforcers.\"<\/p>\n
Disciplinary<\/p>\n
In order to build a totally independent and professional
\npolice force, the three-star general also vowed to take stiff
\nmeasures against any undisciplined officers.<\/p>\n
\"The priorities will be officers who deviate from their jobs
\nas investigators and those who free suspected criminals after
\nreceiving bribes,\" Rusdihardjo said.<\/p>\n
The poor performance of the police, he said, could also be
\nseen from the growing lack of public trust in the force.<\/p>\n
People, for example, increasingly showed no intent to hand
\nover suspected criminals to the police, but, rather, preferred to
\ntake the law into their own hands by brutally punishing them.<\/p>\n
\"These are very clear indications that tell us that we need to
\ndevelop ourselves as a force,\" he said.<\/p>\n
In his remarks, which revealed his dreams for a brand new
\nIndonesian police force with a good image, Rusdihardjo also
\nrepeated his plan to develop the capability of police detectives
\nnationwide.<\/p>\n
Detective development would be one of his top priorities in
\nthe next budget.<\/p>\n
\"We are coming close to 200,000 criminal cases a year. We have
\nonly 13,000 detectives. From these personnel, only one third can
\ninvestigate independently,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Rusdihardjo added that due to lack of police personnel and
\nequipment, the police force has had to depend on the military to
\nhandle social conflicts.<\/p>\n
\"We have to depend on the military, even as we realize that
\nthe use of the military in matters of security, particularly
\nsocial conflicts, is regarded as less than acceptable in a civil
\nsociety,\" Rusdihardjo said.<\/p>\n
\"It can even lower the credibility of our nation and
\ninternational trust in it, which has a bad effect, both
\npolitically and economically.\"<\/p>\n
Among the guests at Friday's ceremony were former National
\nPolice chiefs Gen. (ret) Awaloeddin Djamin and Gen. (ret)
\nBanurusman, and Indonesian Military Chief of Staff Gen. Tyasno
\nSudarto.<\/p>\n
When asked to comment on Rusdihardjo's speech, Banurusman
\nexpressed his strong support and suggested Rusdihardjo, among
\nother things, revise existing Law No. 28\/1997 on the function and
\nposition of the National Police.<\/p>\n
\"We cannot tolerate any more interventions, particularly from
\nthe military. This has to be straightened out by law,\" Banurusman
\nsaid. (ylt)<\/p>",
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