On-duty police officers 'need better equipment'

On-duty police officers 'need better equipment'

JAKARTA (JP): A criminologist and a lawyer have expressed
strong concern over the growing number of on-duty policemen who
have been attacked recently.

In an attempt to minimize the number, the government should
increase the number of police personnel and equip them with
better equipment, said criminologist Mulyana W. Kusumah and
lawyer Hendardi.

In Jakarta alone, at least three on-duty police officers have
been assaulted in the street in the past two weeks.

The first two were attacked in Tebet, South Jakarta, and
Bekasi respectively late last month. Both were seriously injured.

The third victim was First Sgt. Witono from the elite mobile
brigade squad. He was killed on duty after two people slashed his
left hand with a machete and then shot him twice, in the waist
and stomach, while escorting a man transporting gold bars across
the city.

Mulyana said that about 40 on-duty police officers have been
attacked or killed in the capital while on duty since the
beginning of 1996.

"Police officers face a high risk in carrying out their daily
duty," said the senior criminologist from the University of
Indonesia.

According to Mulyana, it is high time the government decreases
the current ratio between the number of police and the city's
population.

In Greater Jakarta, he said, the current ratio is one police
officer for every 1,200 residents.

"In some areas outside the city, the figure reaches 2,000
people, compared to the United Nations' recommendation of one
officer to 350 residents," said Mulyana.

With the current number of policemen, it is understandable
when police commanders can only send a single officer to do a
high-risk task, such as guarding a gold shipment, he said.

According to eyewitnesses, Sergeant Witono was driving a
motorcycle accompanied by a civilian carrying gold bars.

Mulyana said police officers undertaking high-risk duties
should be provided with equipment which could help save their
lives.

"The level of risk differs from one duty to another," he said.
"The greater the risk, the better their equipment should be,"
Mulyana said.

He supported the proposed police bill, which has aroused
controversy, particularly on a article which would allow the
police to apply much sterner measures in the application of their
duties.

"It will be a promising solution for such a high-risk
profession," he said.

The law, he said, should have been enacted long ago as the
previous police law was inadequate considering the current
situation.

"The 1961 police law is very narrow-sighted while the new bill
has been widened and stresses the need for greater police
professionalism," he added.

Hendardi, the executive director of the Indonesian Legal Aid
Association, said Witono's case could prompt the police to
further raise their numbers and improve their human resources.

"But I believe the public don't yet really understand the
meaning of proper security and the police also do not handle
security assignment calls seriously," he said. (04)