Officers learn on the English language beat
Officers learn on the English language beat
JAKARTA (JP): The Police Language School (Sebasa) held an
English speech contest here Tuesday in an effort to help officers
polish their language skills.
The school's head, Col. Roosiana, said students spoke
extemporaneously on several topics, including the "Love Rupiah"
movement, the economic crisis, drug abuse and unemployment.
Winners from the 36 contestants were Capt. Firli of East Timor
Police Headquarters, First Lt. Rusdi Setiawan of Semarang Police
Academy and Second Lt. Arsdo Simatupang of Lampung Police
Headquarters.
"English is useful not only for communication, but also for
boosting their careers because, by mastering the foreign
language, their opportunities to sent anywhere overseas will be
wide open," Roosiana said.
The school's objective, she said, was primarily to train
qualified English-speaking officers, whose language proficiency
would be beneficial for international assignments and in
mastering scientific and technological tasks to solve crime
cases.
"There are growing numbers of crimes, such as drug abuse
cases, involving foreigners as the suspects.
"This situation has forced the police to improve their ability
in speaking the language. English is also useful for those who
join peacekeeping operations under the auspices of the United
Nations."
Sebasa, based in Jakarta, enrolls students from police
headquarters in the 27 provinces nationwide. Each province
assigns two or three officers every three months.
Established in 1993, Sebasa has traditionally three-month
courses in languages including Chinese, French, German and Dutch.
Last year, 400 officers graduated from English classes at the
school. An estimated 550 students will join the school this year.
"This year, we will concentrate on English lessons. We will
schedule other foreign language courses based on special requests
or needs," Roosiana said.
For instance, the school would hold special classes for
mastering active German for detectives assigned to study in
Germany, and there would be special lessons for detective
terminology.
Currently, Sebasa has 23 local teachers and one native speaker
instructor.
Three to five top students take the test for UN peacekeeping
duties every year.
"One of our graduates, Let. Col. Ito Sumardi, who now heads
the Karawang police precinct, was chosen to be the team leader
for the peacekeeping team in Bosnia, replacing an officer from
the U.S.," said Roosiana, herself a former English instructor at
Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
She stressed the benefits of holding the contest.
"Here, we're encouraging the students to speak English
properly. That is why it is important to hold such a speech
contest like the one we have now." (edt)