National Police to restore deputy chief post
Yogita Tahilramani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Restoring the controversial deputy chief post is among the significant changes in the National Police organizational structure, to be submitted to the State Ministry for Administrative Reform for approval.
National Police Chief Da'i Bachtiar said on Tuesday he would throw his full weight behind the move to restore the post, which will be the second highest in the National Police hierarchy.
"A National police chief needs the help and support of a deputy chief. For instance, when a police chief leaves the country on official purposes, the deputy chief assumes control of the police forces," Da'i told reporters on Tuesday.
The new structure is expected to take effect on July 1, which is National Police Day.
Former president Abdurrahman "Gus Dur" Wahid, angered by former police chief Gen. Bimantoro for challenging his wish to declare a state of emergency, issued a decree on June 1 last year to reinstate the National Police deputy chief post, a position which Gus Dur himself had removed earlier in April.
Gus Dur handpicked Comr. Gen. Chaeruddin Ismail, who supported the planned state of emergency, as the National Police deputy chief. Gus Dur then suspended Bimantoro and ordered Chaeruddin to take over Bimantoro's duties.
The political turmoil cost Gus Dur his presidency, instead, allowing Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri to assume power with almost unanimous support from the People's Consultative Assembly.
In the aftermath of Gus Dur's dismissal, the Supreme Court annulled presidential decree No. 77 on July 31 last year, stating that the issuance of the decree was an abuse of power committed by Gus Dur, and had not been done in the interest of the National Police as an institution.
Police Academy Governor Insp. Gen. Farouk Mohammad revealed on Monday that while the National Police deputy chief job awaited its formal restoration, posts of secretary-general and the education and training assistant to police chief would be liquidated.
Posts of operational assistant, human resources assistant and logistics assistant to the police chief will be maintained.
"This is what police have concluded on the organizational restructuring, after much thought and debate," Farouk said.
On Tuesday, National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Saleh Saaf added that the operational and field functions of the National Police would come under the National Police Detectives.
"There are several other changes which will particularly effect the functions of police intelligence and detectives, in the police precinct and subprecinct levels," Saleh said.
"At the National Police, changes will include scrapping unnecessary or non-functional posts where officers do nothing, but still receive pay."
Since early March this year, The police force has been moving to reshuffle its organizational structure, just as eight high- ranking police officers who hold vital posts, including two commissioner generals, were about to retire.
Da'i had said that there were more commissioner generals than there were posts, and therefore, the restructuring of the organization, would ensure that the three-star generals would be put to much better use.
The restructuring sparked a legal scuffle after Da'i issued a decree declaring some officers to be retired despite the new law which extends their retirement age to 58.