Police recruits better than militia

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