Police recruits better than militia

The matter of establishing a civilian militia has its pros and cons. If the Police seriously lack police officers, I propose the following as a way out:

1. The projected annual cost of Rp 35 billion to organize a 70,000-strong militia would better be used to establish police recruit units with 35,000 personnel.

2. Recruitment should take place among secondary school graduates and be conducted thoroughly to check their intelligence and physical condition.

3. The recruits should be given three months of training, accelerated basic military training and methods to control large crowds. This amount of time should be sufficient because they are educated.

4. Graduates should be appointed as Police Second Class. They can be assigned to safeguard the general election on June 7, 1999.

5. The recruits should be equipped with firearms but not real bullets, just rubber ones. They should be under the command of the Police department. Only group commanders should use real bullets.

6. If these recruits fulfill their task with the general election, they should, then, be given the choice to continue a police education, leading to the rank of second sergeant.

In this way, all the cost and trouble will not be in vain but in accordance with an objective to strengthen the Police. If only civilians are trained in a militia, they will be returned to the community after fulfilling their task and may become troublemakers, i.e. hoodlums with military training. It will be dangerous for the safety in the community.

The matter should be reconsidered thoroughly. It is advisable not to be hasty in establishing a haphazard militia.

SUHARSONO HADIKUSUMO

Jakarta