Public order officers to be armed with gas pistols
Public order officers to be armed with gas pistols
JAKARTA (JP): In a desperate attempt to maintain security in
the capital, the city administration has spent Rp 1.2 billion
(US$126.315) to purchase 60 gas pistols to equip its public order
and civil defense officers.
Head of the City Public Order Office Hadi Utomo said on
Tuesday that the pistols were needed for self defense in case of
attacks during operations to restore order.
"Jakartans seem to be more 'brutal'. They often neglect the
law which may result in injury to our officials," Hadi said.
Each of the German-made Melcher pistols costs Rp 20 million,
which covers training fee and license from the National Police
headquarter, Hadi added.
He said the city administration had used the city budget
allocated for routine expenditures to purchase the pistols.
Given the worsening security conditions, the city
administration had originally planned to buy 500 pistols, Hadi
said.
The .9 millimeter caliber weapon, with 100 mm barrel, can
paralyze a person for 10 minutes due to its anesthetic effect.
Hadi said operational unit commanders would have priority to
receive the pistols.
As part of preparatory safety measures, the city office will
be strict when selecting officers entitled to carry the weapon.
The testing is aimed at determining psychological and technical
preparedness of an officer to possess a fire arm.
"After the selection, the eligible officers will be trained
for at least two weeks. Hopefully we can deploy them next month,"
Hadi said.
Hadi said each officer would be provided with 25 live bullets,
10 empty bullets and 15 gas bullets during the training.
According to official data, the capital has at least 3,000
city public order officers, including the new recruits who
formerly were members of the now defunct People's Security
(Kamra) civilian guard.
Hadi said the officers selected to carry the gas pistols would
not be allowed to lend the weapons to anyone.
"We will fire any officer who is found guilty of violating the
rule," Hadi warned.
Contacted separately, Muta'alim of the United Development
Party (PPP) said the pistols were neither necessary nor urgent
for the public order and civil defense officers.
He suggested that the city administration coordinate with the
city police in coping with security problems in the capital,
including mass rallies.
"The city public order office has the authority to handle
security problems, but it doesn't mean that they should be armed
with guns," he said.
Hadi also denied reports that police were involved in various
operations held to search street vendors.
He also said the city administration had never consulted the
City Council about the provision of funds to buy the pistols.
"There was no allocation of funds for the purchase of pistols,
either in the 2001 city budget or last year's budget. It must
have been proposed under a different item in the city budget," he
said, but failed to mention from which section the funds were
allocated.
He said that Rp 20 million was too much for a gas pistol. "It
could be used for other purposes," he said. (07/04)