Police to be separated from ABRI: Wiranto
Police to be separated from ABRI: Wiranto
JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Defense and Security/Armed Forces
Commander Gen. Wiranto confirmed on Saturday that the National
Police would soon be separated from the Armed Forces (ABRI).
Speaking to reporters after witnessing the final preparation
for ABRI's 53rd anniversary parade, he said the Armed Forces
headquarters had agreed to let the National Police become an
independent force.
"In observance of national, regional and global developments
in sociopolitical affairs, the Armed Forces headquarters has
agreed to the proposal that the National Police be separated from
ABRI," he said.
Under the current system, the police are incorporated into
ABRI along with the Army, Navy and Air Force.
The police have found themselves on the receiving end of
increasingly strong criticism, particularly over their handling
of unrest and rioting.
Given their position as the first layer of security, the
police have often been involved in clashes with civilian
demonstrators over many issues over the past three years.
Wiranto, however, insisted that the police's separation from
ABRI would not happen overnight.
"There are stages that will provide the timeframe for the
National Police to adapt to a new environment and system," he
said.
The minister said the Police's supervision would be
transferred from the Armed Forces headquarters to the Ministry of
Defense and Security.
"After six months supervision by the defense ministry, there
will be an evaluation as to whom the National Police should be
subordinate to.
"Either still under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense
and Security, or the Ministry of Home Affairs. It could also be
put directly under the president's supervision," he said.
National Police chief Lt. Gen. Roesmanhadi said the National
Police headquarters had prepared everything to comply with the
Armed Forces headquarters' plan to structurally separate the
National Police from ABRI.
"New concepts on the police's tasks and responsibilities must
be established prior to the police's separation from ABRI," he
told reporters.
"There must be changes in the police's social approach, from
being military-oriented officers to public-oriented ones," he
said.
He suggested that the curriculum for the National Police's
educational system should also be changed.
Roesmanhadi urged that the new concepts must also include a
new ratio between the number of police officers and the
population of Indonesia.
"The ratio of one policeman for every 500 Indonesians is
insufficient, if compared with Japan whose police-people ratio is
one officer for 300 Japanese people," he said, adding that the
Japanese policemen were equipped with advanced technology, while
the Indonesian police had minimal technological skills and
equipment.
He said the police would, therefore, suggest that the
mandatory retirement age for low-ranking police officers be
raised from 48 to 53.
"It could be part of an effort to increase the police force
from one officer for every 500 Indonesians to a smaller ratio,"
he said. (imn)