Policemen nabbed after drinking spree

Jongker Rumthe, The Jakarta Post/Manado

Seven boozing policemen whose unruly escapades almost caused a riot in Tuminting, Manado, have been thrown into the drunk tank until they are disciplined, the North Sulawesi Police say.

The officers, six of whom who are members of the province's Mobile Brigade unit and one who is from the Likupang station, have been in police custody since Sunday night.

Provincial police provost and chief of security Adj. Comr. M. Syahrir said on Tuesday the measures taken by his department would prove to the public the North Sulawesi Police were not above the law.

The incident took place on Saturday night when the seven policemen were called to a noisy family function in Tuminting and were seen carousing with the residents instead of quieting them down.

One of them, who witness said appeared drunk, became unruly and abusive and left the house, shouting obscenities. He then allegedly assaulted a resident in the area who had approached him and tried to calm him down.

Other residents in the area became angry and demanded the other policemen censure their drunken colleague. Instead the officers screamed abusive language on them.

The situation became tense and was not defused until a local called the provost who soon arrived at the scene and apprehended the seven drunks.

North Sulawesi police spokesman Adj. Sr. Comr. Budhy Wibowo Sumantri confirmed the incident and promised to thoroughly investigate the case.