Police still lack professionalism: Chief

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Gen. Banurusman Astrosemitro said yesterday that the police still need to improve their professionalism before they can properly serve the public.

Speaking at a press conference, the four-star general said that, in view of financial problems, he could not yet say when the nation would have an effective, efficient and professional police force.

"But we'll continue our efforts to urge the government to provide us with more up-to-date technology."

The news conference was held in relation to the commemoration of Police Day on Saturday.

Banurusman said that lack of money and facilities had hampered the police's work. "This is quite ironical because criminals are becoming more and more professional," he said.

Indonesia's police number only 18,000, as against a population of 193 million.

During the 1994/1995 fiscal year, for instance, the police claimed that their operations budget was only Rp 13.9 billion, or 1.8 percent of the overall police budget.

Even with the extra income from the processing of vehicle documents, the police could only carry out 35 percent of their annual operational tasks, Banurusman said.

Low

He added that police wages remained very low and could not easily be easily increased because they remain within the payment scheme of the Armed Forces.

Sources at police headquarters said the monthly take-home pay for the rank of corporal was about Rp 150,000 (US$67), sergeant about Rp 300,000, lieutenant up to captain Rp 500,000 at most, major to colonel about Rp 800,000 and general more than Rp 1 million.

"I receive a total of Rp 500,000 every month which is absolutely inadequate for a family of four," a senior captain, who requested anonymity, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.

It is generally acknowledged that some police break rules in order to make ends meet and some have been jailed or dismissed from the service as a result.

"This year at least four police officers have been fired," said Banurusman.

He added that the government planned to increase the police meal allowance which, he said, was only three times the allowance for police dogs.

Banurusman said the daily police meal allowance was Rp 1,500 per person, compared with Rp 500 spent on each police dog. (bsr)