National Police separating the wheat from the chaff

JAKARTA (JP): The National Police announced on Monday a reshuffle of 25 high-ranking officers and 10 middle-ranking officers.

The shake up includes several notable figures in the police including Insp. Gen. Adang Daradjatun, who is allegedly involved in a corruption case involving the Rp 300.77 billion National Police 1999-2000 Crash Funding Program.

Adang, previously posted as the West Java Police chief, was given a no-job position in the reshuffle by naming him as a senior officer at the National Police Headquarters.

National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Dadang Garnida admitted that Adang was removed from his previous position to make it easier for investigators to investigate his involvement in the corruption case.

"But if it's found out later that he is innocent, his name should be rehabilitated," Dadang told reporters at his office, adding that the police had acted on public demands to make police free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism.

The police are investigating the roles of three police generals in the alleged mismanagement of the fund which caused the state to suffer losses of at least Rp 5.2 billion.

The three generals are former National Police chief Gen. Roesmanhadi, his former assistant for planning Maj. Gen. Adang Daradjatun, and chief of the treasury agency Brig. Gen. Darmadji S.W.

Among police officers who were touched by the reshuffle are Insp. Gen. Noegroho Djajoesman, who was previously posted as head of National Police Staff and Leaders School.

Noegroho also was assigned as a senior officer at the National Police Headquarters.

However, Dadang said that empowerment of a police officer could be carried out in any post.

"Every officer should be ready to be posted anywhere," Dadang said.

Former head of coordinators of crime investigators at the National Police, Chaeruddin Ismail, was named to replace Noegroho.

Dadang said that overall, the reshuffle had been conducted to increase the performance of the police.

"This decision has been planned for quite a long time," he said. (jaw)