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