Police mapout plans for Idul Fitri holidays
Police mapout plans for Idul Fitri holidays
JAKARTA (JP): The police have worked out the final details of transportation and security arrangements, nationwide, for the upcoming Idul Fitri holidays.
National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro met with all the chiefs of his regional commands yesterday to put the final touches on the preparations.
Police spokesman Brig. Gen. IK Ratta told journalists, during a break, that the top police had discussed a range of topics, from security at railway stations to traffic routing before and after the Idul Fitri holidays, which fall on March 3-4.
"The police will be conducting Operation Ketupat," he said. He did not say when the police would implement the operation, which takes its name from a rice cake boiled in a rhombus-shaped packet of plaited young coconut leaves, which is traditionally eaten during the religious festival.
According to the spokesman, each police regional command will deploy two-thirds of their personnel to implement the operation, which usually commences one week prior to, and ends one week after, Idul Fitri.
Indonesia currently has about 170,000 police officers nationwide.
"The main purpose of the operation is to allow people to feel secure while they are celebrating Idul Fitri and to smoothen traffic on the highways and roads which connect Jakarta with other cities in Java and Sumatra," Ratta said.
The police called on the public to participate in making the operation a success.
They have asked the public to report any road accidents, corrupt officers or incidents of collusion between security officers and scalpers at bus and train stations. Such collusion is notoriously rife during the festival period.
"We will not tolerate corrupt practices involving security officers," Ratta explained.
The meeting at the National Police Headquarters was also attended by senior officers, including Deputy to the National Police chief for Operational Affairs Maj. Gen. Koesparmono Irsan.
During the meeting, Gen. Banurusman instructed all the provincial police chiefs to begin securing public places, such as places of worship, shopping centers, housing complexes and all terminals and ports.
"The police chief also asked them to monitor areas prone to traffic jams, accidents, as well as flooding and other natural catastrophes, to help ease traffic jams," Ratta said.
He said police would set up a large number of posts on main roads and highways to facilitate the handling of accidents and traffic congestion.
The state telecommunications company, PT Telkom, will set up public telephone booths at the police posts, and at restaurants, transport terminals and other public places along the main roads and highways, he said. (bsr)