People skeptical on move to decentralize police services
People skeptical on move to decentralize police services
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
People are welcoming the police's plan to decentralize its services for the renewal of drivers' licenses, but they remain skeptical that it will be successful in eliminating the use of expensive middlemen protected by corrupt police.
"I welcome the transfer of the service to police precincts from the central office in Daan Mogot (West Jakarta). However, I am doubtful that it will be successful in curbing the practice of middlemen unless police personnel improve their services to applicants," said Erizal, 35, a taxi driver who resides in Ciputat, Tangerang.
Erizal said that police often looked for "pretexts" to require him to resit the required tests.
"They (police) claimed that I failed the tests, like the visibility and the practice tests, which seem to be easy to do," he complained.
Erizal said the poor service was so slow it made him frustrated, forcing him to eventually accept a middleman's offer to settle the paperwork.
"And, you know, I obtained the license within an hour, while a friend of mine who had attempted to do it all by himself spent five days," said Erizal, who has been living in Jakarta since 1973 and driving a taxi since 1986.
Starting Tuesday, police will decentralize the driving license renewal service to police precincts in the center, east and south of Jakarta.
There are six other precincts, namely North Jakarta, West Jakarta, Depok, Tangerang, Bekasi and Bogor.
The police plan to extend the services, not just for the renewal but also the issuance of new drivers' licenses, to the other precincts, except for West Jakarta. It is still not known when they will be ready to do so. The office in Daan Mogot will still serve residents of West Jakarta.
Suparno, 30, a motorcycle taxi driver from Mampang Prapatan, South Jakarta, said the transfer might lessen crowds. "But, those middlemen will still run their businesses if police still provide a poor service."
The police service center in West Jakarta is notorious for its long queues, poor service and remote location. Middlemen operate openly and they aggressively offer their services to applicants.
Many people prefer to hire middlemen to settle all administrative affairs, charging a "service charge" which is at times double or more the official charge of Rp 52,500. The middlemen's business is safe thanks to corrupt police personnel.
Meanwhile, Comr. I Wayan Pinatih, East Jakarta Police chief for traffic, said the driving license renewal service would be ready on Tuesday.
"All computers, equipment and police officers assigned to handle the job will be ready to serve the applicants," said Wayan.
There are about 700 applicants per day expected to use the service at every police precinct.
However, the decentralization has not been widely publicized and it may take time till the public are aware of the changes.
"I have not heard that police will transfer the driving license issuance to its police precincts," said Raci Pranesha, 22, a resident of Tebet, South Jakarta.
"That's good news I have just heard it from you. I can save time as I am no longer required to go to the remote Daan Mogot office. But, I hope it can really work smoothly," Raci said.