National Police urged to deploy more officers

National Police urged to deploy more officers

By Maria Endah Hulupi

JAKARTA (JP): Two leading criminologists have blamed the
National Police for its inability to cope with the rising crime
rate in the capital, saying more police personnel were needed to
guard crime-prone areas to ensure the safety of the people.

Mulyana W. Kusumah and Harkristuti Harkrisnowo called on the
city police to deploy more officials in Tanah Abang and Senen bus
terminals as well as in the Cempaka Putih area in Central
Jakarta, where street violence often takes place.

Holdups and extortion carried out by numerous gangs in those
areas have raised public concern recently following reports that
many people had been threatened to hand over their valuables
after thugs broke the windows of their cars.

Most of the incidents took place at crossroads when traffic
lights turned red, the reports, quoting victims and witnesses,
said, noting that the crime rate increase markedly due to the
absence of police officials in those areas.

Both criminologists told The Jakarta Post that this new trend
of crime -- in which the crooks armed themselves with sharp
weapons, such as axes, rather than guns -- had given birth to a
group of people who seemed to justify violence to maintain their
survival at a time of economic crisis which began to hit the
county in late 1997.

"Unlike professional criminals who usually plan and use guns
in their operations, these "seasonal" crooks carry out their
actions without planning to achieve their goals, which sometimes
end up in violence."

Commenting on a police statement that they had a shortage of
personnel to cover crime-ridden spots in the capital, Harkristuti
said that it was an unacceptable excuse as it was the
responsibility of the government and law enforcement officials to
protect the safety and security of the country's citizens.

"This is because the government pays too much attention to
human rights violations in the country's troubled provinces that
have attracted international attention, causing the government to
neglect the rising local criminal cases," she explained.

Mulyana said the failure to resolve criminal cases in the
country had created public uncertainty over security-related
issues, prompting them to question the credibility of the law
enforcement agencies, including the ability of the National
Police force.

Armed civilians

As a result, many people had armed themselves with blades and
guns for self-defense, he said, adding that "when people try to
take the law into their own hands, the tend to overreact and
violate existing laws."

To prevent such a situation, Mulyana suggested that police
officials had to enhance their professionalism and resources
despite their meager budget.

Harkristuti said that it was high time for the police to
restore its already tainted image following the shooting of
students by police officials during last year's demonstrations
for a reformation of the government.

"By doing so, the police could restore its image as a trusted
law enforcement body and could crack down on crime and protect
the safety of the people," she added.

Rusdi, an employee of a private company, said each time he
drove through a crime-prone area, he would make sure all doors
were locked to avoid assault by the thugs.

Lita, a house wife who drives herself to her office, said she
would rather give her things to the thugs when the situation
endangered her safety.