Each president, VP candidate to be guarded by 56 police officers

Abdul Khalik, Jakarta

The National Police will assign officers from regional police forces across the country to provide security for presidential and vice presidential candidates until the presidential inauguration in October.

Brig. Gen. Rajiman Tarigan said on Tuesday each candidate would be protected by 56 officers, who will work in rotation. He said the security arrangements for the candidates followed the standards set for the president and vice president, who receive 24-hour protection from 56 presidential guards each.

"We are prepared to provide security for seven pairs of candidates even though only six are contesting the election. We will treat them all equally," Tarigan said.

The General Elections Commission will announce on Saturday the list of eligible candidates to contest the presidential election on July 5.

The results of the election will be announced by the end of July, and if no candidate wins an absolute majority a runoff will be held on Sept. 20.

Tarigan said the National Police Headquarters had assigned officers from regional police forces across the country to the security detail. It has also provided them with all of the equipment they may require, including special vehicles for emergency situations, helicopters and medical equipment.

Detectives, members of the elite Mobile Brigade, doctors and nurses, drivers, street officers and Air Police officers will be included in the security detail.

"We are even providing officers to check the food the candidates eat every day to make sure it is safe. We are also providing security for their families and in their neighborhoods during the campaign," said Tarigan.

He said headquarters had selected highly qualified personnel with expertise in firearms and martial arts to guard the candidates.

Tarigan also said police officers in every province had to be ready to provide security during campaign stops by the candidates.

This special security squad will have two periods of duty. As many as 709 personnel, divided into 14 groups, will guard the candidates from May 18 until July 15. Then four groups will provide security for two pairs of candidates from July 15 to Oct. 5 in the case of a runoff.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar said providing security for the candidates would cost the state Rp 20.5 billion (US$2.27 million), with the assumption that the operation would involve 709 officers in the first period of duty and 209 in the second period.

He said officers involved in the operation would form special security teams in their respective provincial police forces once their current assignment was completed.