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)