Companies need intelligence officers: Security expert

JAKARTA (JP): Like a state, companies need intelligence officers to prevent possible disturbance sparked by its employees or neighboring communities, a security guard trainer said on Monday.

A manager of noted security guard training company PT Garda Kerta Raharja, Lt. Col. (ret.) SGP. Munthe, said on the sidelines of a seminar here that most company crimes involved their own employees.

Citing a survey conducted by Ernest & Young in 1983 of over 123 big companies in the United States, he said inside crimes reached between 80 percent and 84 percent of total crime reported by firms.

According to the survey, such crimes were masterminded by employees who had been working at the companies for more than five years.

Munthe suggested that, instead of relying heavily on police, companies should recruit intelligence officers to prevent crimes.

"If they work well, officers could minimize the opportunity for crimes to take place," he said.

The seminar marked the opening of a five-day training session for security guard managers held at Hotel Aryaduta Lido. Some 60 people are participating.

Meanwhile, PT Garda's president Insp. Gen. (ret.) Moestofa Pane said only a few firms had so far employed intelligence officers as they needed expensive equipment and training.

"Every company should take the matter into consideration if they want to prevent crime," he told reporters.

The existence of security officers, including those in charge of intelligence affairs, is urgent mainly because of the imbalanced ratio of one police officer for every 1,200 people, he said.

The ideal proportion should at least be set at one officer for every 400 people.

Pane suggested that companies, especially foreign investment ones, pay intelligence officers well to guarantee security of the firms.

In his address to the seminar participants, National Police's Community Supervision Director Brig. Gen. Sutomo admitted that due to their lack of personnel police were unable to cover all security related duties.

Sutomo renewed calls for more participation from the public, including companies, in maintaining security and order in their own neighborhoods. (21/jun)