National Police to restore deputy chief post
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.