Churches told to be proactive about security

Churches told to be proactive about security

BOGOR: In an effort to provide security during Christmas
masses celebrated in churches throughout the country, the police
are encouraging church officials, parking attendants and security
guards to be more alert to suspicious looking visitors and to
search them if necessary.

Bogor Police chief Snr. Comr. Anton Bachrul Alam told
reporters on Wednesday that the police would meet church
officials on Friday to discuss security for the Christmas masses.
On Monday, the police will physically scour the churches.

Church officials, security guards and parking attendants are
expected to be more proactive in taking precautions, such as
searching suspicious people and immediately reporting them to the
police.

The police will deploy 4,390 personnel during Christmas and
New Year celebrations in the Bogor area, which also covers
Sukabumi and Cianjur.

Anton said the police had not received any information about
any bomb threats in connection with observance of Christmas.

Four people were killed in bomb explosions in a number of
churches in Jakarta on Christmas Eve in 2000. --JP