City Council OKs stern actions against rioters and criminals
City Council OKs stern actions against rioters and criminals
JAKARTA (JP): In response to growing public concern over
security conditions in the capital, the City Council has given
its approval to Jakarta Police Headquarters to take stern action
against rioters and criminals, a senior councillor said on
Wednesday.
City Council speaker Edy Waluyo said strong measures were
needed as part of the effort to restore security in the city.
"We (councillors) have observed the reluctance of police
personnel in taking a firm stand against rioters and criminals as
they do not want their actions to be misconstrued as violating
the people's basic human rights," Edi told reporters after a
coordinating meeting of city authorities at the City Council
building.
"And based on the support of the party factions, the council,
therefore, agreed to grant its approval to the police to take
such firm action."
Present at the meeting were Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen.
Nurfaizi, the Jakarta Military Command's chief of staff Brig.
Gen. Romulo Simbolon and Governor Sutiyoso.
Edy said the meeting was held in response to public complaints
over the increasing crime rate in the capital.
"In practice, the Jakarta Police could ask for backup from the
military (Jakarta Military Command)," he said.
The councillor added that the council's support should provide
moral encouragement for the police.
"But the police must always carry out their duties in
accordance with the existing laws and regulations," he said.
Edy pointed out that the city's security authorities were
currently in the process of drafting a security coordination
concept.
"The concept for security coordination will then be submitted
to the council for further discussion, covering such matters as
operational directions and the proper timing for the mounting of
such a joint security operation," he said, while indicating that
the concept would be submitted to the council for correction or
approval within the next few weeks.
Edi added that the council would persuade the city
administration to allocate funds to help finance measures to
restore security in the capital.
"However, we will leave the arrangements to the city
administration which will then coordinate with the relevant
security authorities."
Nurfaizi, who was also in attendance at the media conference
with Edy, said the police were determined to take stern action by
deploying police personnel in crime-prone spots so as to curb the
incidence of street crimes, including robbery and vehicle theft.
"I instructed my personnel two weeks ago to be firm when on
duty," he said, while indicating that police personnel have acted
in line with national and international standards, including the
procedures requiring warning shots to be fired prior to aim being
taken at the legs of criminals or rioters.
He said that stern measures had been put into effect since
then, with seven alleged criminals having been shot in the
greater Jakarta area, three of whom died, as they tried to resist
police arrest.
Nurfaizi called on the media not to give a misleading
impression concerning the deployment of sharpshooters at crime-
prone spots as every police officer had the capacity to become a
sharpshooter.
"This is part of the police's routine work. I've told them not
to hesitate in taking firm action as long as they comply with the
existing laws," he said.
The plan to deploy police sharpshooters was initially revealed
by Sutiyoso after a previous coordinating meeting of city
authorities last month. (06)