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)