90,000 guards to help police

90,000 guards to help police

JAKARTA: The Jakarta Police are training at least 90,000
community security guards, preparing police personnel in each
subdistrict and making available all equipment needed to provide
security for the 2004 general election in Greater Jakarta.

"We are cooperating with the General Elections Commission
(KPU) and the city administration to enlist and train civilians
to help us secure the upcoming elections. Each polling booth will
be assisted by at least two community guards," said the city
police chief, Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara, on Wednesday.

City police spokesman, Sr. Comr. Prasetyo, explained that
there would be 44,792 polling booths in the capital alone and
they would be guarded by around 90,000 guards.

Makbul said that the National Police and the city
administration would finance the training while KPU would pay the
guards' salary.

"There will be 2,970 areas, each area comprising several
polling booths, in Jakarta with 11,499 policemen to patrol these
areas," he said.

Police have also prepared operational and transportation
equipment for the elections including batons, shields and fire
extinguishers as well as helicopters and other vehicles. -- JP