17,000 civilian guards assigned to help police
17,000 civilian guards assigned to help police
JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso has assigned 17,000 members of
the Civilian Defense Unit (Hansip) to help city police maintain
security ahead of the general election scheduled for June.
Sutiyoso said on Friday that the limited number of police
officers in the city made it necessary to draft in civilian
assistance given the possibility of outbreaks of social unrest.
"Involving Hansip in the city security is a necessary step.
They are close to the people and should therefore detect any
signs of unrest which develop at grassroots level," Sutiyoso said
during a ceremony to mark the beginning of the civilian guards'
working relationship with the city police. The ceremony was held
at the National Monument Park in Central Jakarta.
He said he regretted that the Civilian Defense Unit was not on
hand when Jakarta was hit by social unrest on several occasions
last year.
"They could have backed up the security forces. That's why we
have to be more alert this time," he said.
The governor said he expected the police would find themselves
burdened as the result of widespread social problems in the city.
He said there was a possibility of further social unrest in
the city given the present condition of the economy and the
widespread hardship faced by the poor.
"But even though the current socio-political conditions are
not favorable, the (central) government has decided to press
ahead with its plan to hold an election and then convene a
general session of the People's Consultative Assembly," he said.
City administration data shows that the civilian defense unit
has 17,957 active members.
Those assigned to help the police will be grouped into units
according to their skills and expertise.
City police chief Maj. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman told reporters
after the ceremony that the civilian guards would receive special
training before being deployed on the streets alongside the
police.
He revealed that the city police force is currently 19,000-
strong, adding that this number was far from ideal.
On Friday, Sutiyoso also instructed 1,500 employees of the
city's sanitation, fire, public works and land transportation
agencies to be prepared to help the security forces. (ind)