Armed officials a smoking gun: Cops

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.