No need to escort big bikers

Congratulations to the Police on their success in tracking down and killing the terrorist Azahari and capturing his followers.

Apart from this success, however, the Police should review their Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), or Protap as they are known in Indonesia. Is it really allowed by the SOPs to escort non-VIP individuals (not for special purposes, such as transporting money from a bank), or even on many occasions escorting bikers riding their big motorcycles for pleasure (again, not on any special mission).

On Sunday, Nov. 20, at around 11:25, around 10 bikers were seen being escorted by two police officers on their motorcycles -- one at the front and another at the rear. The police and the bikers were leisurely riding along without even stopping at the red lights at the intersection of Jl. R.A. Kartini (formerly Jl. T.B. Simatupang) turning right onto Jl. Metro Pondok Indah.

They all seem to be allowed to openly violate the rules of the road. The police and big bikers (mostly very wealthy) should, in fact, serve as role models. Riding big motorcycles for pleasure does not require a police escort.

Y. LUCAS, Jakarta