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.