Companies need intelligence officers: Security expert

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)