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)