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