Police form rapid reaction sleuth team

Police form rapid reaction sleuth team

By K. Basrie

JAKARTA (JP): Despite a lack of funds and personnel, city
police are still committed to providing better services to the
public.

The establishment of a special team of talented detectives,
known as rapid reaction unit or Unit Reaksi Cepat could be cited
as an example.

Presently, the team has 28 well-trained officers, consisting
of four lieutenants and 24 sergeants from the crime investigation
directorate.

They are divided into four groups. Each group is provided with
a Mazda VanTrend station wagon supplied with portable steps,
extra-large axe, pliers, megaphone, public-address system, map,
walkie-talkie, medical kit, fire extinguisher, generator, police
line, a bag of standard identification items, camera and rope.

Another vehicle for the crime lab team is available to support
the unit.

Sixteen motorcycles are also ready to back them up, especially
during peak hours when most streets are heavily congested.

Assigned only for extreme emergencies, the unit is on-alert 24
hour a day.

"They are supposed to be the first officers to arrive at the
scene of a crime. They must prohibit anyone from disturbing the
site until investigation and medical treatment are completed,"
the team supervisor, Lt. Col Edi Darnadi, said.

Each detective, most of whom are uniformed, are equipped with
guns, batons, handcuffs and radio beepers.

The well-equipped officers patrol areas considered crime
infested.

Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo supervises the special budget set aside
for the unit's daily operational costs, including meal allowances
for the personnel.

Eight police precincts under the auspice of Greater Jakarta
Police have set up similar teams to support the unit.

Police departments in other provinces may follow Jakarta in
their efforts to reduce crime in their areas.

"We simply want to do our best for the public so that they
will feel secure," City Police Chief Maj. Gen. Dibyo Widodo told
The Jakarta Post recently. He is the man behind the founding of
the team.

The team, officially set up on Nov. 1, has proved their
professionalism in a recent cases, including the solving of a
rape and murder case in a hotel in Central Jakarta and the murder
of Rohadi's family in East Jakarta.

These cases were handled more professionally than those of
last year's when there was substantial weaknesses in detectives'
initial handling of the scene of crime.

Among last year's unsolved cases is the death of a six-year-
old girl, Levina Dwisy, whose body was found in Ancol dreamland,
North Jakarta in March.

The main problem was that the scene of crime had been
improperly handled and the scientific evidence was destroyed.

Lt. Col Edi Darnadi said the professional treatment of
evidence at crime scenes helps scientific investigations.

The team, which was established also to improve the police's
image with the public, is expected to be helpful to the Greater
Jakarta Metropolitan police in solving as many crimes as soon as
possible.

"People who need help can dial 390 2222 and ask for radio
beeper 17000," Edi said.