Police image tarnished

Police image tarnished

From Media Indonesia

I really appreciate the police offices who have performed their daily duties and responsibilities to protect society. Unfortunately, some members of the Mobile Brigade residing in Kedaung village, Ciputat district, Tangerang, have caused unrest among Ciputat residents as they have often taken the law into their own hands.

On the afternoon on Sept. 25, for example, one of them, without any reason, hit some youngsters playing guitar somewhere on Jl. Aria Putra near Ciputat, although some of his fellow Mobile Brigade officers had tried to stop him.

As they felt their human rights had been trampled upon, these youngsters challenged this rowdy Mobile Brigade officer to a duel. The challenge was accepted and a duel ensued. The officer was not happy with the fight and that night he took some of his fellow Mobile Brigade officers to conduct a raid in the area. Some youngsters were caught and beaten black and blue. Even a member of the City Land Transportation Agency, Udin, who was not involved in the fight, was seriously beaten and had to be hospitalized. That night some Mobile Brigade officers remained in the area around the market, looking for local youngsters.

The next day (Sept. 26), they conducted another sweep and beat a Ciputat youngsters believed to be related to the youngster hitting the rowdy Mobile Brigade officer in the duel referred to above. It is feared in the next few days these Mobile Brigade officers will continue to play rough against local youngsters, saying as their pretext that these youngsters act as market ruffians. In fact, it is the rowdy Mobile Brigade officer himself that acts like one there.

I assume that this rowdy Mobile Brigade officer is vying with the local youngsters for control over the area around the market, for example the parking area. Reports filed by some Ciputat residents say that some Mobile Brigade officers in Kedaung have often practiced their spirit of the corps in the wrong way. Even a petty problem with the local Ciputat residents will prompt them into action. They have attacked even Ciputat local military offices and Ciputat local police station.

I call on the National Police chief to take immediate stringent measures against such delinquent members of the police to ensure that the image of the police will not be further tarnished by the low discipline of its members.

SYARIF O

Jakarta