CANDLE OPERATION:

CANDLE OPERATION:

JP/byi

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo officially deployed the team to secure Christmas and New Year's celebrations this year.

As many as 7,500 police officers and 3,000 servicemen took part in the roll call for the operation code-named Operasi Lilin (Candle Operation).

The roll call took place at the Senayan east parking lot, Central Jakarta.

City Military Commander, Maj. Gen. Wiranto, also attended the ceremony.

Dibyo said that the operation is an expansion of the ongoing anti-crime operations,Operasi Kilat Jaya and Operasi Sapu Bersih, which have been successful.

In the past six months crime rate in Jakarta has dropped by 13 percent, Dibyo said.

The operations have netted 41,081 people and confiscated, 14 firearms, sickles (see photo), barbiturate pills, marijuana, liquor, and pornographic books.

Records indicate that 1,844 crimes were committed in June and 1,761 in July. The number of crimes dropped to 1,707 cases in August and 1,687 in September. In October and November there were 1,645 and 1,602 cases respectively. (29)