Major police reshuffle planned
Major police reshuffle planned
JAKARTA (JP): National Police deputy spokesman Brig. Gen.
Edward Aritonang announced on Friday that a major reshuffle
involving 45 high-ranking and middle-ranking officers would soon
be effective.
The reshuffle includes the replacement of four provincial
police chiefs of West Nusa Tenggara, Yogyakarta, South Sumatra
and South Sulawesi.
Aritonang, however, stressed that the replacements were
routine for reviving leadership.
"It is an ordinary tour of duty and the process has been
carried out through the National Police's high-ranking promotion
council," Aritonang added.
He said the replacements were based on a decree signed by
National Police chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro on Sept. 17.
Aritonang said the transfer of duties would be conducted
within two weeks after the issuance of the decree, adding that
reshuffles were conducted periodically at the National Police
Headquarters.
The decree stipulates, among other things, that National
Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Didi Widayadi will replace Insp. Gen.
Soeparto as South Sumatra Police chief.
The replacement also includes the appointment of Yogyakarta
Police chief Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf as the new National Police
spokesman. He will be replaced by Insp. Gen. Wahyu Saronto, the
National Police's deputy director of intelligence, Aritonang
said, adding that Brig. Gen. Iman Haryatna, the East Java Police
deputy chief, would be promoted to West Nusa Tenggara Police
chief.
Speculation circulating at National Police Headquarters hinted
that the reshuffle was partly aimed at preparing Didi as a
successor for Bimantoro, who will reach his mandatory retirement
age in November.
Didi's name was mentioned as one of five candidates for the
National Police chairmanship proposed by the National Police's
high-ranking promotion council.
"A National Police chief must have experience in leading a
provincial police detachment, while Didi has spent most of his
career behind a desk serving the state secretary," one police
source said. (emf)