Police mistakes in the spotlight

The image of our police force has lately suffered a decline and its performance has come into the public spotlight. Many cases have remained unresolved, including those of the death of Bernas Yogyakarta journalist Muhammad Fuad Syarifuddin (Udin), the armed robbery and killing of a real estate agent on the Jagorawi toll road and the death of Rifaldi "Aldi" Soekarnoputra, in which the actress Ria Irawan was also involved. People are also asking what our police have so far achieved in their attempt to recapture Eddy Tansil, the big-time corruptor who escaped from Salemba prison some time ago. The image of our police force has also been tarnished by the brutality which was committed by some officers and which led to the death of Tjetje Tadjuddin, who was one of the prime suspects in the Jagorawi toll road robbery case.

It is the public's fervent hope that our police force will be more effective and more professional in uncovering and resolving crimes, especially since there has been a worsening in the nature of crimes committed lately. At the same time, people are hoping that our police force will be able to increasingly manifest itself as an institution where people can go for protection and justice.

-- Bisnis Indonesia, Jakarta