Police defend shooting officer

JAKARTA (JP): The National Police Headquarters defended the recent shooting of one of their off-duty officers, who had extorted money from public transport drivers in East Jakarta.

Spokesman Brig. Gen. Nurfaizi said at a press meeting at the Cilangkap headquarters yesterday, that the man had resisted arrest when caught extorting money from drivers in Pondok Kopi on Tuesday.

Armed Forces Spokesman Brig. Gen. Slamet Supriyadi attended the meeting.

"He did not have a single ID card showing he was a policeman. He was wearing his uniform under a black jacket," Nurfaizi said.

The officers had gone to follow up reports from local drivers that an unidentified man was extorting money from them everyday.

City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata had earlier said that the victim was shot while impersonating a police officer.

Nurfaizi said "When the officers arrived, the man was asking the drivers for money. He attacked the officers and ignored warning shots before they shot him."

He said the officers involved in the shooting were now being questioned.

He said an officer should set a good example. "The victim was a bad policeman. Anyone can become bad. A policeman is a human who makes a mistake. That's that."

Nurfaizi said it was the duty of police to protect people from any crime. "We are determined to get tough against trouble makers, whoever they are."

The victim, 2nd Sergeant Sofjan Sani of the North Jakarta Police Precinct, was buried at Kober public cemetery Wednesday. Deputy Chief of the North Jakarta Police Precinct Maj. Bachtiar Tambunan attended the funeral. That was when police became aware that Sofjan was a real policeman.

The neighbors were surprised that Sofjan, a police officer, was killed by officers. (sur/imn)