Critics ask for transparency from police

Critics ask for transparency from police

Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Police under new chief Gen. Sutanto has announced a
major reshuffle that affects five provincial police heads, which
critics have said lacks transparency.

Adnan Pandupardja of Police Watch, a non-governmental
organization, said the latest reshuffle, like those in the past,
was carried out secretively so that the public could not demand
accountability from the outgoing officers or provide input as to
whether the officers were suited to their new postings.

"The police leadership has apparently conducted the reshuffle
without giving the public a chance to appraise the performance of
the officers," Adnan said, adding that the absence of
transparency was the root of public distrust in the police.

He suggested, therefore, that local legislative councils push
the newly appointed provincial police chiefs to present their
programs and plans, and assess their awareness of the challenges
they are likely to face.

"The councillors must have the courage to demand
accountability reports from the outgoing officers. Indeed, the
evaluation should determine the officers' future careers," Adnan
said on Sunday.

"It's the right time for councillors to pay attention to law
enforcement issues, as well as just economic and political
issues."

The reshuffle took place amid a police campaign against
gambling, drug trafficking and rampant corruption that has
implicated some high-profile figures.

Adnan said that he understood that the police leadership had
the prerogative to replace officers, but he said it would be
better for the National Police to announce the names of
candidates for particular posts in order to elicit input from the
public.

"That's what we call transparency," he said.

Police affairs observer and criminologist Adrianus Meliala
from the University of Indonesia said that several of the
officers who had been given new posts were classmates of Gen.
Sutanto.

"If we look at the names, there are several young officers who
have been promoted in the current reshuffle, including Gorries
Mere and Aryanto Sutadi. I think it is good," Adrianus said.

"But, we, of course, should not turn a blind eye to several
officers who are known to be General Sutanto's classmates. Of
course, we won't mind if they were appointed to their new posts
for professional reasons."

Sutanto, a 1973 graduate of the Police Academy, won unanimous
endorsement from the House of Representatives due to his clean
image and his persistent fight against gambling when he led the
North Sumatra and later East Java forces a few years ago.

However, Adrianus questioned why the regional police chiefs
had not been replaced in provinces long known as strategic, such
as North Sumatra and South Sulawesi.