Pay more if you want to feel secure
Pay more if you want to feel secure
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
In a move that could be seen as a commercialization of their
public service duty, Jakarta Police have teamed up with a private
company to provide panic button services to people who are
willing and able to pay.
Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Firman Gani says that he has
designated newly established wireless and software company PT
Widya Prakoso Abadi to integrate the panic button system within
the city police's patrol system.
"Widya Prakoso Abadi provides the hardware and software, while
we deliver the security service. The panic button is available
for both individuals and corporations. Residents feeling under
threat can subscribe directly to the company," he said last week.
He said that the program, which is now in its trial stages,
did not cost the police anything and that the police would not
charge any fee to subscribers as the business side was taken care
of by the private company.
The panic button is a 24-hour alarm system that notifies a
mainframe computer system at city police headquarters whenever it
is pressed by a client wishing to get police help.
The mainframe, which is connected to the computer system at
police precincts and subprecincts, then automatically assigns the
nearest police patrol car to go to the client's location.
The panic button consists of two buttons, red and green. The
red button tells police that a crime is occurring at the
subscriber's premises, while the green button sends a message
that a client needs specific police help.
As the panic button system utilizes satellite and wireless
technology, including general packet radio service (GPRS) and
global positioning system (GPS), the client's location can be
tracked across the capital regardless of their location.
President director of Widya Prakoso Abadi, Antonius Gunawan,
said that each client would be charged Rp 2.6 million for the
equipment needed in his or her house, office or car, plus a Rp
150,000 fixed monthly fee and an unspecified additional service
charge if the button is pushed and police officers attend.
He said that his company has installed GPS equipment inside
150 police patrol cars.
Individuals and companies, including banks, have applied for
the service, Antonius said.
City police spokesman Sr. Comr. I Ketut Untung Yoga Ana said
that six police subprecincts are ready to apply the panic button
system.
The six subprecincts are Kebayoran Lama subprecinct in South
Jakarta, Kebon Jeruk, Tanjung Duren, and Taman Sari subprecincts,
all in West Jakarta, Kelapa Gading and Tanjung Priok subprecincts
in North Jakarta.
Together with the company, city police launched in January the
1717 SMS program to enable the public to quickly send messages to
police.
Many people have praised the program, saying that now police
respond quicker to their complaints. According to data from
police headquarters, around 500 people send SMSs through the 1717
number every day.