Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Zakki Hakim, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

At first Comr. Wiryono was stunned when he was asked to make a
sketch of his own face. After a moment he laughed and said that
he would do it. He managed to make one without a mirror, relying
only on his own mental image. He finished it in less than 15
minutes.

The result was a raw sketch of 80 percent accuracy, the
obvious flaw in the sketch was the face looked 10 years younger.

"Maybe that's how I perceive myself," the 47-year-old officer
said with a smile.

Wiryono is the police officer whose drawings played a big role
in the investigation of last year's Bali bombings.

He produced the sketches of Amrozi and other suspects, as well
as those who were allegedly involved in the recent JW Marriott
Hotel blast in Jakarta.

"It took me 12 hours to produce the final sketch of Amrozi,"
he said.

Later the sketch was acknowledged to bear a 90 percent
resemblance to Amrozi.

Even Amrozi told the press, when he was first arrested, that
he was amazed when he saw the almost perfect sketch.

"A salute for the police officer," he said.

Wiryono said that to make an accurate sketch he needed
eyewitnesses to recall every detail, including the suspect's
expression, dialect, ethnic group and background.

In the case of Amrozi, he used most of the 12 hours to gain
the eyewitness' trust through a relaxed and informal manner.

"It needs a long time for anyone to recall details of a face
one met for only 15 minutes."

Once an eyewitness felt relaxed, Wiryono began to make a raw
sketch. The eyewitness then was asked to criticize the picture.

"I'll ask whether or not the nose is big enough, or his eyes
are small enough. If it is yet matched, we immediately correct
the picture part by part until we get the final sketch."

Wiryono said ethnic origin had a big role in making a sketch
as every group had its own characteristics, which makes the
sketch easier to draw.

His sketches also amazed Australian Federal Police (AFP)
officers investigating the case.

Wiryono said that advanced technology, including computer
programs, mostly used by developed countries, might not serve
well as it required eyewitness to recognize one out of hundreds
of types of face parts.

His rare skill in making sketches has made Wiryono a valuable
asset for the National Police, moreover he is the first and only,
so far, sketch drawer in the force.

Before Wiryono's talent was officially recognized, police in
the identification center usually hired street artists to make a
sketch of a suspect.

Three years ago, his division chief ordered him to assist the
South Jakarta Police Precinct in drawing a sketch of the
perpetrator of the bombing in Bulungan, Blok M, South Jakarta.

At that time, the chief recognized Wiryono's skill and told
him that his talent could aid the investigation.

So Wiryono helped by producing sketches of the perpetrator,
based on the description from eyewitnesses.

When the police eventually apprehended the perpetrator, they
were amazed to see the face resembled the sketch.

Since then, Wiryono has been involved in a number of high
profile cases, including the Bali bombings, which killed 202
people, the attack at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in
Jakarta, at the House of Representative Compound, and the
Marriott Hotel, which claimed 12 lives.

Wiryono's skill did not come overnight. He has been fond of
drawing and painting since he was in elementary school.

Spending his childhood in Surakarta, Central Java, he got
acquainted with painters in his hometown.

After graduating from state-run SMAN 1 high school in
Surakarta, he was admitted to Gadjah Mada University (UGM) in
Yogyakarta in 1977 where he specialized in Anthropology.

Since then his acquaintance with artists became more intense
and his painting hobby developed further.

Graduating from UGM in 1985, he joined the volunteers for
military (Milsuk) program and was installed as a First Lieutenant
at National Police Headquarters and stationed at the history
division at the directorate of personnel.

A year later, he was transferred to the identification center,
a subdivision of the National Police criminal investigation
department.

He spent his time at the center taking and filing photographs
of crime scenes, suspects, criminals and others to back up
investigations.

Four years ago he became the chief of the police photographic
subdivision.

Wiryono is married to Endang Winarti, 37, who gave him three
children: Indra Wirawan, 17, Silvia Wirastuti, 9, and Aditya
Triwibowo, 6.

Supporting his family on a police salary has been a big
challenge.

The fact that his sketches played a big role in the
investigation have not helped him overcome the challenge.

His personal and subdivision works have yet received adequate
attention. Moreover, he has been a Commissioner since 1999.

"My subdivision is considered only as a supporting division,
so naturally we have to hope other divisions remember us," he
said.

As far as he knows, in developed countries, the crime scene
investigation team receives the most recognition.

"The forensic laboratory, police doctors and identification
center should get adequate attention for their role in supporting
any investigation," he said.

But in Indonesia, those who caught the perpetrators received
the most praise.

"People tend to see only the result without remembering the
process that made it possible," he said.

Even without adequate recognition, Wiryono has shown his
dedication by developing modules for face identification.

As the only sketch drawer in the police force and the
subdivision chief, he recommended that every provincial police
force across the country have at least one sketch drawer with an
art background.

"But it's only a recommendation. The decision depends on the
superior officers," he said.

However, between being on duty he still draws sketches and
makes oil and watercolor paintings.

"Maybe one day, when I am retired, I might exhibit my
paintings," he said.