City crime rate lowered through public assistance
City crime rate lowered through public assistance
JAKARTA (JP): Jakarta, a city that never sleeps, has recorded a remarkable drop in the crime rate this year compared to 1994, thanks to increasing public cooperation and hard work by police in fighting crime.
City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo told reporters here yesterday that the number of crimes reported to the police in 1995 plunged to 21,573 cases from 26,382 cases the previous year.
The total number of crimes solved by the police this year reached 55.16 percent, the largest the Greater Jakarta Police has dealt with since 1991. Last year only 44.62 percent of all cases were solved and 38.9 percent in 1993.
"All these remarkable achievements could only be accomplished with strong support from the public," Dibyo said at the media briefing held to review 1995 and consider the prospects for next year.
He said police have pledged to solve as many cases as they can next year, despite lingering problems such as shortage of personnel, budget and facilities.
A crime, in this city of almost 10 million people, is committed every 25 minutes and two seconds this year, compared to 19 minutes and 55 seconds last year.
The crime clock, nationwide, this year is three minutes and 13 seconds.
In another yardstick, a total of 159 out of every 100,000 people in the city have become victims of murder, burglary, theft, violence and rape this year, Dibyo said. Last year 212 people of every 100,000 became victims of such crimes.
"We're proud of what we have achieved but we still need public participation, such as immediate reports about criminal acts and information relating to cases under investigation" the two-star general said.
Dibyo predicted that burglaries, thefts and student brawls will still dominate city crimes next year.
Most burglaries and thefts will still occur in the city outskirts, such as Bekasi and Tangerang, Dibyo said.
Dibyo also said that his 16,000-strong police force is ready to face any riots, protests or street demonstrations that might occur next year because of the general elections in 1997.
"We've even established our computerized system to monitor the minute-to-minute tally of the general election which, in turn, could help us to identify things that we should do to secure the event," he said.
Analysts said that there will be much unrest next year due to the upcoming 1997 general election.
During this year, Dibyo said, there have already been strong indications of efforts by extremists for the re-emergence of several banned organizations, such as the Indonesian Communist Party (PKI).
A total of 52 politically motivated street demonstrations and 27 illegal meetings were handled by city police this year, Dibyo said.
Police also recorded a total of 251 demonstrations by workers and residents in 1995, he said.
"It's hard to estimate the number of street protests which may occur next year, but I do know that all of us want to have a peaceful Jakarta," Dibyo said. "That's why, we need public understanding and participation." (bsr)