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.