Bekasi benefits from friendly police after Japanese help

Bekasi benefits from friendly police after Japanese help

Wahyuana and Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Bekasi

Police officers everywhere should bring with them a sense of
security -- especially when the uniformed personnel better
understand their own slogan, "to protect and to serve."

In Bekasi, residents say police officers are no longer a
sinister lot compared to the general impression of officers in
this country. "A friendly patrol police officer visits us four
times a day," said Ngadianto, who owns an Internet cafe at the
Kalimalang Shopping Center.

Locals now enjoy the benefits of a community policing system
-- which adopts the koban concept from Japan -- i.e. better
service from friendly policemen who provide a greater sense of
security.

Ngadianto said that the officers also gave him their cellphone
numbers and their office phone number to ensure that they could
be easily contacted in case of emergencies.

"There has been a significant change in the relations between
the community and the police. We no longer feel afraid of being
in contact with them," said Ibnu Humaidah, a resident of Pondok
Ungu housing estate.

"Residents also feel much more secure as community police have
managed to take precautionary measures to prevent brawls, which
have been common here in the past," said his neighbor, Paidi.

Members of the Bekasi police precinct also say they benefit
from cooperation with Japanese police, given the lighter workload
thanks to reduced numbers of reports of crimes such as theft,
robbery and extortion.

"The (community policing) program requires us to approach
people living with social problems, such as beggars, street
musicians, pickpockets, and advise them to look for better jobs.
And, we make it, eventually," claimed Second Insp. Achyar at a
police post in front of the Giant Supermarket.

Achyar said that personnel at the community police post were
assigned to assist with minor community issues, by providing
advice, mediating quarrels, giving street directions and
preventing offenses -- leaving the investigation of offenses to
regular officers at the subprecinct police posts.

At the police post in the Pondok Ungu housing complex in North
Bekasi, Second Brig. Eri Mulyanto said that local police have
managed to settle conflicts before they turned into violent
brawls. "Every week, we have to mediate disputes in the
community," Eri said.

Recently in March, Eri recalled that a police officer also
managed to stop a brawl and calm down conflicting groups; the
Native Betawi Brotherhood Forum (FBR) and the Native Betawi
Community Solidarity Forum (FSMB).

"Both parties have agreed to stop the conflict and allow the
community police to help solve the dispute," Eri said.

Head of the project assistance team from the Japan Police,
Supt. Manoyoji, said that the community policing system
emphasizes the creativity of each officer in giving immediate
service to residents.

The community policing program is part of technical assistance
provided by Japan Police, under the supervision of the Japan
International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the National Police.
The Bekasi police precinct has been run as a pilot project since
last year.

Manoyoji said the technical assistance would also include
training programs for Indonesian police.

"We also plan to launch another assistance program in Bali to
help establish a tourist police department there," Manoyoji
added.

So far, only two community police posts have been built, one
in front of the Giant supermarket and another in Pondok Ungu.

Bekasi police plan to build 14 other community police posts
across the municipality and regency by the end of this year with
the help of Japan. The police will provide the land for the
posts, while the Japanese government will provide the funds. Each
post, which costs about Rp 750 million, is expected to serve
between 1,000 and 1,500 families.