Police to separate from defense ministry
JAKARTA (JP): The National Police will remain a nationwide institution despite the implementation of regional autonomy, which started on Monday.
"Police authority will not be delegated to provincial administration despite the inception of regional autonomy," National Police Chief Gen. Surojo Bimantoro said on the sidelines of a New Year celebration in the early hours of Monday morning.
His remarks came in connection with the separation of the National Police from the Ministry of Defense, effective Jan. 1. From now on it falls directly under the President's supervision, as stipulated in Presidential Decree No. 89/2000 on the Structure of the Indonesian National Police.
The status caps the two-year transition period which was initiated by the changes in the Indonesian Military (TNI). The military has had its function reduced to defense only.
Bimantoro also disclosed a plan to modify the police ranks terminology and insignia as part of the separation program.
The new rank for senior superintendent will be changed into police high commissioner and superintendent will become adjutant to the police high Commissioner, while assistant superintendent is now commissioner.
Senior inspector will be adjutant to commissioner, while chief sergeant will be called adjutant to inspector. First sergeant will be brigadier while second sergeant will be called private.
Several ranks will be omitted in the new structure, including first and second adjutants, sergeant major and corporal.
Bimantoro did not elaborate when the new ranks will take effect and the impact of the changes since many officers will likely lose their rank echelon as a result of the omission of several ranks.
Among the significant changes is that police will have full authority in national security matters, an officer who is working on the revision of Law 28/1997 on National Police told The Jakarta Post.
When asked whether police officers who committed crimes would be prosecuted in the Military Court since they are already separated from the military, Bimantoro said it would depend on the amendment to the police law. (lup/edt)