Elite police force reorganized into autonomous corps
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)