Hindarto warns Depok of possible increase in crime

JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Mochammad Hindarto told the newly-installed precinct police chief of Depok, 25 kilometers southeast of the city, to further increase security in the area.

He cited the need to fight the trend for criminals from the capital to move their operations to the suburbs and to hide there.

Hindarto made the remarks in Depok yesterday after inducting Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto, 42.

"We all know that the crime rate here is slightly lower than those recorded in other areas overseen by the City Police Headquarters," he said.

"But, crime has the potential to happen in this area. The criminal acts recorded in the capital city may soon be almost as commonplace in this town," the two-star general said.

The police, he said, lack personnel and funds, but the law requires them to serve the public adequately. "Despite these constraints, we have no choice but to give our best to the public," Hindarto said.

Lt. Col. Sisno Adiwinoto replaces Lt. Col. Edi Darnadi, 43, who has been assigned as chief of the North Jakarta police precinct.

Sisno's latest position was as an officer at the Analysis and Evaluation Unit of the National Police General Inspectorate Office.

Sisno graduated from the Police Academy in 1975, the Police College in 1984 and the Senior Police Officer Course last year.

He once took a six-month course on traffic policy in The Netherlands in 1989.

Yorrys

After the inauguration ceremony, Hindarto answered reporters questions about the latest police action in efforts to apprehend Yorrys Raweyai of the powerful Pemuda Pancasila youth organization for his alleged involvement in the mysterious death of a male servant last year.

"We're still collecting the material evidence needed," he said. "But, I didn't say that we'll arrest him for that case," Hindarto added quickly.

Hindarto refused to give any details about the case that the police are still investigating.

"There might be many cases, but let's wait until we have enough evidence to prove our findings," Hindarto said.

"We always do same procedures before arresting a suspect, so it's not only for Yorrys," he added.

An informed police source recently revealed that the city police are planning to arrest Yorrys for alleged involvement in the death of servant Djasman, 23, believed to have kidnapped and killed the two-and-a-half-year-old son of his employer, Cornelius Simandjuntak, the secretary of the North Jakarta chapter of Pemuda Pancasila in September last year.

At that time, the police said the servant was seriously injured and missing one of his ears when he was returned to police custody, after we taken by force by a group of people.

But, the police refused to comment on allegations that the servant had been taken by personnel of Pemuda Pancasila "to teach the suspect a lesson."

Yorrys is currently believed to be in "hiding" in Singapore. (bsr)