'Irresponsible police should be punished'

Two jailbreaks in one week earlier this month raised questions about security at police stations. The Jakarta Post asked residents about their opinion on the fact that none of the police officers on duty was held responsible.

Lidang, 29, is a bartender at a four-star hotel in West Jakarta. He lives with his wife in an apartment in Central Jakarta:

I don't understand why the detainees escaped so easily. I think the police officers, who are supposed to guard the detainees, don't do their job -- because there is no way that you can run away unless the opportunity is there.

So, the only possible explanation is that the police are neglecting their duties. They just don't care whether the detainees are still there, or have already fled. Maybe because they have no incentive do a good job as they get nothing in return for excellence.

This type of police officer should be punished, otherwise their actions set a poor example for other irresponsible officers.

Vera, 24, is a student at the University of Indonesia in Depok. She lives with her parents in Bojong Gede, Bogor:

I heard residents of my neighborhood talk about the people who escaped from the police detention cell nearby. We are very worried that more and more criminals will run away from police detention and threaten us.

I know that the seven fugitives are not big-time criminals but were nabbed aboard a train for theft. But who knows, the next people to escape could be killers or other dangerous people. More discipline is needed at police stations, the procedure must be regulated and the cells impenetrable.

The police should also do their utmost to rearrest the fugitives. The failure to do so would encourage other detainees to think that, if they run away, they are free for the long-term and have escaped justice.

--The Jakarta Post