Jakarta welcomes new police chief

Jakarta welcomes new police chief

Evi Mariani, Jakarta

Outgoing Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Makbul Padmanagara
welcomed on Tuesday incumbent East Java Police chief Insp. Gen.
Firman Gani to city headquarters, to introduce him to his staff
as the new chief of the Jakarta Police.

A handover ceremony will take place on Wednesday.

Makbul also bid farewell to his staff. He will soon replace
retired Comr. Gen. Togar Sianipar as executive director of the
National Narcotics Agency (BNN).

"I've contemplated my time as Jakarta Police chief, and I
conclude that there are many things that I have left undone," he
said, without detailing his regrets.

"I will discuss that with you (reporters) some time this week.
Now, I have no time as I still have to talk to some officials,"
he added.

During his stint as top man of the capital's police he
recorded a number of achievements, including leading detectives
to hunt and arrest perpetrators of the Aug. 5, 2003 bombing of
the J.W. Marriott hotel in South Jakarta.

However, several key suspects, like Azahari and Nurdin M. Top,
are yet to be brought to justice.

He also successfully orchestrated security in the capital
during the legislative and presidential elections, and the
campaign periods. However, according to observers, much work is
needed to bring about the police's internal reform.

The police are planning to educate around 23,000 personnel in
Jakarta, Tangerang, Depok and Bekasi on moving away from
militarism in the force and toward a "civilian style" of
policing.

The police further damaged their own reputation on Feb. 12,
when officers beat up students who were protesting in front of
the Supreme Court -- more than 50 students were hospitalized that
day.

Later, in May, as if trying to improve their image, the police
secured the transfer of suspect Abu Bakar Ba'asyir from Salemba
Penitentiary to Jakarta Police Headquarters, thereby making it
easier to question him. Consequently, 66 policemen, who were
overseeing the transfer, were injured by stones hurled by
Ba'asyir's supporters.

Jakarta Police Headquarters also welcomed a new deputy chief
on Tuesday.

Brig. Gen. Bambang Ekodanto, formerly deputy governor of the
Police Academy, will replaced Brig. Gen. Nanan Sukarna, who will
take up the position of West Kalimantan Police chief.

Meanwhile, Sr. Comr. Djoko Susilo, formerly North Jakarta
Police chief, will replace the director of Jakarta Police's
traffic division Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Ishak. Sulistyo is to study
at the Police Staff and Command School in Bandung for four
months.

Sr. Comr. Syahrul Mama, formerly Palembang Police chief, is to
be the new North Jakarta Police chief, while West Jakarta Police
will be headed by Sr. Comr. Alius Suhardi, who is replacing Sr.
Comr. Herry Prastowo, who has been transferred to National Police
Headquarters.