Police defend shooting officer

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)