Armed officials a smoking gun: Cops

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The Jakarta Police say they will temporarily stop issuing new firearms recommendations for city officials following a fatal shooting by a public order officer last week.

"We will stop issuing the recommendations for two months pending a review on the issuance of firearms to city officials. Our report will then be submitted to the National Police chief," city police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani said on Monday.

He was speaking at his office during a meeting with visiting House of Representatives' members.

Legislators Maruarar Sirait and Nadrah Izahari came to seek explanations from the police chief over last Wednesday's shooting incident.

During the incident, John Albert was reportedly shot by the head of the Jakarta Public Order Office operations section, Krisman Siregar. Albert died later after having been unconscious for a day.

According to witnesses, whose statements appear to be borne out by a video recording of the incident, Albert was unarmed and offered no resistance when about 100 public order officers came to fence off a plot of land near a site being guarded by Albert and others.

The death of Albert has raised fears of retaliatory attacks on city officers as the victim was also a member of the notorious gang led by Hercules in Tanah Abang, Central Jakarta.

Maruarar called on Governor Sutiyoso to review his policy of arming public order officers in order to avoid similar incidents in the future.

"The Governor must explain his decision to arm his officers to the public. He must be held accountable for a policy that has taken a human life," he remarked.

"The administration can use tear gas or batons instead of firearms, which have the potential to endanger other people's lives," Maruarar emphasized.

He also recommended that Sutiyoso dismiss the public order office head, Soebagio, for his failure to prevent the incident.