Police to change its recruitment system
Police to change its recruitment system
JAKARTA (JP): In an effort to establish a professional force,
the Police Academy will introduce a new recruitment system this
year, National Police chief Gen. Rusdihardjo said on Tuesday.
The new system will replace one which enables recruits to join
the Police Academy without first having field experience.
"The new recruitment system is expected to produce
professional police personnel, because they will have to
experience working in the field," Rusdihardjo told journalists
after addressing the National Police leadership meeting at the
Police Staff College.
Currently, high school graduates can enroll at the Police
Academy in Semarang, Central Java, and after a four-year training
period graduate as Second Inspectors.
While screening for the Police Academy is rigorous, many
people have complained the academy gives unfair consideration to
the sons of high-ranking police officers.
"With the new system, these officers will first experience
being a traffic policeman or a member of the police's Mobile
Brigade," Rusdihardjo said, adding that most current middle to
high-ranking police officers had no experience in such positions.
He said 35 percent of new recruits at the Police Academy this
year were noncommissioned officers with the rank of sergeant.
Next year, that percentage will be 60 and the following year 80,
he said.
"Four years from now, anybody who wishes to enter the Police
Academy will have to be a sergeant," Rusdihardjo said, adding
that this type of system was used around the world.
He also said the police was preparing a new curriculum for the
Noncommissioned Officers School to enable students to finish
their training in six months, down from the current one year.
"Within a year, the police will produce 22,000 new
noncommissioned officers," Rusdihardjo said.
He said the school's training system also would be revamped,
moving away from the militaristic style of training to a more
appropriate system.
"We're no longer in the military. We are now civilians in
uniforms," Rusdihardjo said.
He also said that as a follow-up to the changes in its ranking
terminology on July 1, the police force would reduce the number
of its ranks from the current 22 to 12 before Jan. 1 next year.
"With the reduction in ranks, police personnel will have a
greater chance to achieve the highest rank," he said.
The National Police is scheduled to be placed officially under
the direct coordination of the president on Jan. 1 next year.
(08)