Police begin raids for illegal guns

Police begin raids for illegal guns

Eva C. Komandjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The National Police announced on Monday a new operation to seize
illegal firearms and review civilian gun licenses in order to
reduce crime across the country.

National Police spokesman Insp. Gen. Aryanto Boedihardjo said
the police would hold a series of raids at seaports and airports
as well as border areas to prevent any arms smuggling into the
country.

"We will also check every small fishing boat -- which are
usually used to smuggle firearms -- from other countries," he
said.

Apart from ports and boats, the police would also examine all
packages sent through post offices and express delivery services
to find out whether they contained illegal weaponry.

"We will also hold raids along the streets to check cars and
motorcycles to find out if there are people carrying illegal
firearms," Aryanto said.

The move comes in the wake of a marked increase in the number
of violent crimes such as armed robberies and murders.

According to one police officer, who refused to be named, the
number of illegal guns circulating in Jakarta alone reached
around 100,000 most of them were used for robberies and other
crimes.

Apart from seizing illegal guns, the police are also planning
to review civilian gun licenses as there were many cases in which
their owners were found to have misused their guns to intimidate
other people instead of defending themselves during a dangerous
situation.

In August last year, popular comedian Parto made headlines
after he fired his gun in the air in the lobby of the Planet
Hollywood restaurant in Jakarta.

Another shooting case occurred on the 2005 New Year's Day when
businessman Adiguna Sutowo shot and killed a waiter at a Hilton
Hotel bar in Central Jakarta.

Law No. 8/1948 on possession and use of firearms authorizes
the National Police to license civilians to possess guns for
self-defense purposes.

"So far we have issued at least 35,593 licenses for gun
ownership, including licenses for live bullets, rubber bullets
and even pellet guns," Aryanto said.

He said the police would apply more restrictive rules in
granting new licenses for gun ownership as well as renewal.

"We will tighten the regulations including administrative
requirements and improve the tests to make sure that they deserve
to carry a gun," Aryanto said.

He explained that first-time applicants have to fulfill
several administrative requirements, such as whether they were
holding certain positions that "required" them to carry guns, and
also pass the minimum third-class level in shooting accuracy as
well as psychological and medical tests.

Under the new regulation set by the police, gun owners seeking
license renewals must take those tests again, even if they have
recently passed them all.

The police will also conduct psychiatric evaluations to
determine whether a potential gun owner might have a tendency
toward psychopathic, paranoid or sadistic behavior and could
represent a danger to public safety.

"We'll do a random check on licensed gun owners to see if they
are still allowed to have their licenses," Aryanto reiterated.