Elite police force reorganized into autonomous corps

BOGOR, West Java (JP): National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo inaugurated the Mobile Brigade yesterday as an autonomous corps, giving the elite police force greater room to work.

"This validation will provide a greater chance for the corps to strengthen its existence and enhance its personnel capabilities as the elite police force," Dibyo said during the inauguration ceremony at the Mobile Brigade's headquarters in Kelapa Dua.

Previously, the corps was under the supervision of the On-the- Alert (Samapta) police directorate.

Under the new status, the corps will gain at least 700 new personnel in addition to its current 5,000 members.

The corps will also receive new military equipment.

The rank of the commander, currently a colonel, will be extended to brigadier general.

The corps is currently led by Col. Sutiyono. He is expected to be promoted to a one-star general early next month "unless he does something wrong in the next two weeks," Dibyo remarked.

According to Dibyo, the validation of the corps into an autonomous corps is a reflection of the efforts by police to continue improving itself to become an independent force, one which is trusted by the public and is capable of being at the front line in facing any public disorders and threats.

In a massive riot, for instance, "police should be at the front line and members from the Armed Forces, if any, should back up the police force from behind, not at the front line," Dibyo told reporters.

So the validation "is not just a matter of getting more personnel and new devices, but anticipating crimes that have become more complicated from day to day," said Dibyo.

These crimes, he said, included organized crime, terrorism and mass riots.

"That's why the validation of the Mobile Brigade corps is a prerequisite," he said.

Besides the validation of the special force, the National Police also plans to undergo a massive reorganization in its structure.

The plans include the addition of another 10,000 personnel and the establishment of eight regional police headquarters nationwide.

"We've proposed a Rp 95 billion (US$40.4 million) budget for the realization of our plans," Dibyo said.

Indonesia presently has 175,000 police personnel.

Among the provinces where regional police headquarters will be established are Southeast Sulawesi, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara, East Nusa Tenggara, East Timor, Yogyakarta, Lampung, Jambi and Bengkulu.

The inauguration of these new regional headquarters will begin next week.

The validation of the elite force and the massive reorganization of the National Police is also meant to anticipate riots that could happen prior to the next year's general election. (bsr)