Police, not agency officers, to handle 3-in-1 cases

Police, not agency officers, to handle 3-in-1 cases

Evi Mariani, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Jakarta Police turned down on Thursday a request filed by the
Jakarta Transportation Agency asking to be entrusted with the
authority to ticket three-in-one violators, arguing that it was
not the task of the police.

An officer at the police headquarters said five officials from
the transportation agency met the police traffic division chief
Sr. Comr. Sulistyo Ishak earlier in the day.

"But Law No. 14/1992 on traffic clearly states that the agency
officials only have the authority to impose sanctions on public
vehicles and trucks that fail to meet standard requirements for
public vehicles," the officer said.

The source revealed that the agency officials based their
argument on the fact that the three-in-one traffic policy was
stipulated in Jakarta Bylaw No. 12/2003, hence, as officials,
they have the obligation to uphold the bylaw.

The meeting took place after police spokesman Sr. Comr.
Prasetyo told the media on Wednesday that the police had received
complaints from motorists who were ticketed by agency officers.

Article 53 of the Traffic Law states that agency officers have
the authority to investigate and to sanction traffic violators.

However, the authority is limited to violations on technical
requirements for vehicles, such as whether the load exceeds the
allowed weight, or sanctions for exhaust emissions from public
buses.

Prasetyo said that the police uphold the traffic and vehicle
law, which legally was more powerful than a bylaw.

"Therefore, the city police have confirmed that only police
officers have the authority to ticket violators of the three-in-
one regulation," Prasetyo remarked.

Head of the city transportation agency Rustam Effendy was not
available for comment as of Thursday evening when The Jakarta
Post tried to contact him.