More people use services of 'satpam'

A high crime rate and robust economic growth have led many wealthy people to hiring security guards to protect their lives, families and properties. The Jakarta Post reporters Gedsiri Suhartono, K. Basrie and Prapti Widinugraheni have prepared the following article, as well as other related stories on Page 2 and 9 about security guards.

JAKARTA (JP): In the early 1970s, the issue of neighborhood and personal security was nothing big. Although the crime rate may have been about the same as that of today, the quality of violence involved may have been far less.

Take, for instance, burglars. During those times, if a burglar broke into a house and the house owner happened to cough -- indicating that somebody was awake in the house -- the burglar would most likely have run away.

But now, thieves don't stop at stripping a house of its belongings. In many recent cases, they have gone as far as murdering and raping the people in the house, who don't necessarily have to be the owners.

It is no wonder, therefore, that people feel the need for some sort of protection.

But when did it all begin? Crime usually starts when there are groups of haves and have-nots.

The 1970s saw the beginning of Indonesia's rapid development: oil exports were booming, foreign aid poured in and people saw office buildings sprout in major cities, especially Jakarta.

Then, people became wealthier, consumption increased and development became an obsession of the government.

But at the same time, some groups of people were becoming isolated in the process; they were unable to survive the competition, they didn't have the "right connections" and, perhaps, they just didn't have the luck.

This situation, which became more complicated with the emanating of occasional political issues, easily led to discontent and often took the form of crime.

In the 1980s, the police decided it was time the public helped the police in safeguarding the community. Civilians, including women, were recruited and given basic training to become members of Satuan Pengamanan (security guard units), better known by its acronym Satpam.

Retired policemen and servicemen are commonly recruited as Satpam in many cities nationwide. In some cases, active members of the Armed Forces are also hired as guards for prominent individuals and offices.

Col. Wenny Setiawan, the head of the Jakarta City Police's Community Supervision Directorate, said the move was initiated by the then-chief of the National Police, Gen. Awaluddin Djamin.

"Satpam are responsible for protecting the places where they are employed," Wenny said.

Since 1991, the national crime rate has continued to decline. From 204,446 cases in 1991, it dropped to 175,364 in 1992, 164,553 in 1993, 164,119 in 1994 and 163,197 in 1995.

However, the drop in the crime rate is not necessarily comforting news.

Last year, the then-national police chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro, acknowledged that although reported crimes decreased, the number of solved cases remain at 50 percent to 60 percent -- as it has been for the past several years.

Apart from that, criminals are using violence more often.

Media reports last month, for instance, carried stories about a satpam who was attacked and wounded by burglars in his neighborhood in Jakarta. Earlier, there were stories about policemen being attacked and killed by thugs.

Is the place becoming unsafe even for satpam and policemen? Are Jakartans ready to embark on a new era that will see many of them employ the services of bodyguards?

Senior criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah, from University of Indonesia, has learned that the variety of crimes has induced more wealthy people, in particular those who feel they are at great risk of being violated, to hire Satpam and personal guards to protect their lives and property.

"I strongly believe that the growing number of people hiring Satpam or bodyguards in this country is due to the growing feeling of urban insecurity," he said.

The need for a personal bodyguard, which is still something new here, could no longer be avoided by them, especially businesspeople and politicians, who have a greater risk of becoming crime victims.

"Prevention is better than cure," he said.

Adrianus Meliala, also a criminologist from University of Indonesia, said that compared to the city's area and population, Jakarta's crime rate cannot be considered worrying yet.

"The city's notorious crimes, to many, may have emerged because of the way the mass media portray crime," said Adrianus.

Relatively wealthier city residents who opt for extra precaution, he said, create their own needs in ways that they think will safeguard them from the vulnerability of being criminally victimized.

"Some have created the need for extra safety protection to be a part of their lifestyles," Adrianus said.

Seconding Adrianus' opinion is Enoh Markum, a social lecturer of psychology at University of Indonesia, who said that Jakarta rates average in terms of crimes.

"Perception of the city's safety depends on how individuals choose to interpret various information they receive," Enoh said.

"People who read Pos Kota daily would certainly have a different perception about Jakarta compared to Kompas daily readers," he said. Pos Kota "specializes" in city crime reporting and is the largest daily newspaper in circulation in Indonesia.

Col. Paimin Abuamr, head of the Jakarta Police Criminal Investigation Department said that the increasing number of people hiring bodyguards and Satpam in a big city like Jakarta is mainly due to two reasons.

"Fear of crime and their raising incomes," he said.

Although the Jakarta crime rate is not as high as many metropolises in other parts of the world, many wealthy people like to hire strong-looking men to safeguard their lives, families, business and properties, said the number-one police detective in Jakarta.

"And it is their right because it is their own money being used to pay the bodyguards and Satpam," he said. "For us, the police force, we hope that more and more people do their best to prevent themselves from becoming crime victims."

Paimin said that even though the Jakarta police have been assigned to protect and serve the people, it would be helpful if the citizens could do something to protect themselves.

"Just imagine, we only have about 16,000 police officers to protect approximately 10 million Jakartans as well as a large number of buildings and properties," he said.

Paimin said people who feel the need to hire bodyguards and Satpam should take care in making their selections.

A number of Satpam have been reportedly misusing their privileges and becoming the culprits themselves.

The recent murders of a man at the Ancol dreamland complex in North Jakarta and of a foreigner at the Menteng Hotel in Central Jakarta were committed by Satpam.

In June 1990, a Satpam of Ramayana department store at Pasar Minggu, South Jakarta, was charged with having tortured four disabled schoolboys, who were accused for having stolen Rp 400 from a game machine.

In June 1992, three Satpam of the Cahaya department store at the Slipi Jaya shopping plaza were arrested after allegedly torturing to death a 20-year-old man, suspected to have stolen a pair of shoes.

In February 1995, two Satpam of the Sahid Palace Executive Apartments in Jakarta were arrested by the police for their alleged roles in kidnapping a suspected thief which led to the latter's death at the building site.