East Java Police chief focuses on improvements
JAKARTA (JP): East Java Police chief Maj. Gen. Moech Dayat said yesterday he had been making every effort to improve his force, including convening a military tribunal against 42 police officers suspected of serious violations.
"We've taken stern measures against 321 police officers and 42 of them are being court-martialled," he said during a dialog with ethnic Chinese residents in Surabaya, East Java.
He said efforts were being made to upgrade both the mentality and the professionalism of the police force and that disciplinary action was being taken against those found to be violating procedures.
"But it all has to be done slowly and continuously. Slowly but surely we'll enhance the quality (of the police force)."
The dialog's participants readily expressed their grievances to the provincial police chief.
"We've had so many traumatic experiences dealing with the police," one participant, Hariatma, was quoted as saying by Antara during the discussion.
"Every time we try to take care of various documents with the police they always make it difficult. But if you give them Rp 100,000 it goes very smoothly and they'll even deliver the documents to your house," Hariatma remarked.
Autonomy
Legal experts and observers in Semarang, Central Java, joined the chorus of calls to separate the police force from the Armed Forces' (ABRI) hierarchical structure.
Former national police chief (ret.) Gen. Awaloeddin Djamin told participants at a discussion on police reform at Diponegoro University that police should be given operational and territorial autonomy to allow them to become more creative and innovative.
Such a move, he said, would enhance the police force's effectiveness in handling criminal cases and improve their work ethic.
If police could perform according to public expectations, they would find themselves closer and more appreciated by the people, he said.
The National Police force is currently an arm of the Armed Forces, along with the Army, Navy and Air Force, and is under the command of the Armed Forces chief.
Legal expert Satjipto Rahardjo pointed out that it was difficult for the police to work under the Armed Forces given a fundamental difference in doctrines.
He explained that the police should adhere to the principle of serving and protecting the public while the Armed Forces must focus on national defense.
Given these fundamental differences, the police should be given greater autonomy, he argued.
"I don't know what the benefit is of keeping the police under ABRI. But I can tell you that we will eventually face ruin if it is kept that way." (har/ivy)