Trigger-happy officers<\/p>\n
The National Police are again under fire after the most recent
\nfatal shooting incident that claimed the lives of a 12-year-old
\ngirl and a toddler in West Jakarta early this week.<\/p>\n
Seven police officers have been questioned over the shootings
\nthat killed bystanders Ina Surtianah and Eli -- a three-and-a-
\nhalf-year-old girl -- when officers were chasing alleged drug
\ndealers in the area.<\/p>\n
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Prasetyo has said that the
\nshootings were accidental. Nevertheless, legal proceedings will
\ngo ahead. Unfortunately, however, Prasetyo claimed that the
\nshooting was \"in accordance with normal practice\" but that there
\nhad been a \"procedural failure\".<\/p>\n
The death of Ina Surtianah and Eli in West Jakarta reminds us
\nof the fatal shooting by First Insp. Bambang Suryanata, head of
\nNorth Cirebon Police, West Java, of a motorist early this month.
\nAnjani, a 29-year-old driver was shot in the head by Bambang when
\nthe victim tried to escape the officer after his bus hit
\nBambang's car on the Jakarta-Cikampek freeway.<\/p>\n
Bambang, the trigger-happy officer in question, was cleared of
\nall charges and has since returned to work, albeit in a new job,
\nat the Cirebon Police Station. Cirebon Police chief Adj. Sr. Com.
\nMusyafak said that Bambang's action was in accordance with
\n\"standard procedures\". Even so, the shooting triggered the ire of
\nlocal residents.<\/p>\n
To go back a little further, in March of last year, a 14-year-
\nold girl was hit in the mouth by a stray bullet when a policeman
\nopened fire to stop a fierce brawl in Ciracas, East Jakarta. It
\nis not clear if the Jakarta Police has done anything by way of
\nshowing its accountability for that incident. Jakarta Police
\nchief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara, however, has said that it
\nwould take time to investigate the case. We see in these three
\nincidents a very clear case of police officers tending to look
\nafter their own in times of trouble.<\/p>\n
Without providing a logical and acceptable explanation to the
\npublic of what the phrase means, it is hard to accept Prasetyo's
\nstatement that the death of Ina and Eli was due to \"a procedural
\nerror\". After all, as an ordinary human being and family man
\nPrasetyo should be mortified by the death of the two innocent
\ngirls.<\/p>\n
We can understand that none of those officers had actually
\nintended to kill anyone during their pursuit of criminals. But
\nafter watching reports on the police's \"achievements\" aired on
\nprivate television stations every day, it is hard to erase the
\nimpression that almost all officers prefer to use their guns to
\nusing their hands or heads in pursuing criminals. We frequently
\nsee, on television, police officers opening fire while chasing
\ncriminals, even in crowded residential neighborhoods and public
\nplaces. The scenes reflect a lack of professionalism among police
\nofficers.<\/p>\n
In such a situation, the possibility of stray bullets taking
\nvictims among innocent bystanders is very real. The question is
\nwhether and how the police can be held responsible in such cases
\nof accidental deaths by shooting? The use of firearms must be a
\nlast recourse for a police officer to stop a criminal resisting
\narrest. This should be a standard procedure for all police
\nofficers worldwide. According to Articles 4 and 5 of Law No.
\n2\/2002 on the National Police, the police are empowered to play a
\nleading role in maintaining public security and order, upholding
\nand enforcing the law, and safeguarding and protecting the people
\nwhile respecting human rights.<\/p>\n
Now that several fatal incidents due to stray bullets have
\noccurred and have claimed, at least, three lives, the question is
\nwhat the police have done to protect the public and respect human
\nrights. Something must obviously be done by the National Police
\nchief to review what they believe is the most appropriate model
\nfor enhancing professionalism among officers. Also, the House of
\nRepresentatives should have summoned the National Police and
\nJakarta Police chiefs to demand accountability for the fatal
\nshooting incidents. And what of the victims' families? The
\npromised \"compensation\" offered by the police, whatever the
\namount, cannot bring back the life of a loved one.<\/p>\n
Apparently, the five-year-old reformasi drive has yet to
\nsucceed in pushing the police to adjust to reform, especially
\nafter their separation from the Indonesian Military. There is no
\nother choice for the police as a state institution but to improve
\ntheir professionalism. This can be done by, among other things,
\nrespecting people's right to protection. The police must also
\nhave the courage to do some honest introspection and demonstrate
\ntheir accountability for their actions.<\/p>\n
Only in this way will the police succeed in evolving an
\neffective mechanism for built-in control in order to minimize the
\nabuse of power by police personnel and thereby gain the public's
\ntrust and respect -- which is, when all is said and done, the
\nmost effective weapon the police force can hope to hold in its
\nfight against crime.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/trigger-happy-officers-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}