Security guards protect footbridge near Le Meridien

Security guards protect footbridge near Le Meridien

JAKARTA (JP): Anyone using the footbridge in front of the Le
Meridien hotel on Jl. Sudirman in Central Jakarta will notice the
presence of several security guards, each equipped with a combat
knife and stick, standing by the bridge.

At a glance, people might think that the guards, who wear
light blue uniforms, gray berets and an armband that reads Polda
Metro Jaya (Jakarta Police), are policemen.

But they are actually employed by a private security company
hired by the hotel management to watch the bridge.

"We hired those security personnel to watch the bridge because
we have many guests using the bridge to cross over," public
relations official of the hotel, Aprilisa Madewa, told The
Jakarta Post early last week.

"There used to be a lot of pickpockets operating on the
bridge," she said.

"They used to operate near the stairs at both ends of the
bridge. That's why we put one guard at each end."

Aprilisa said the hotel had earlier received complaints from
guests that the bridge was not safe for them to use.

"We got a guest once, a foreigner, who reported that his
cellular phone had been stolen when he was walking on the
bridge," she said.

"That's a shame for us and it tarnishes our country's image,"
she added.

The official said that before the deployment of the security
personnel, many guests had asked accompaniment from our hotel
staff before using the bridge.

Aprilisa said the program, which started early this year, had
reduced losses due to pickpockets.

Aprilisa's statement was echoed by a vendor who sells video
compact discs (VCD) on the bridge.

"Since their presence, there are no more pickpockets operating
here," the 19-year-old vendor, who refused to be named, told the
Post.

Like most footbridges in the city, many vendors occupying the
bridge sell various items from pirated VCDs to fabrics.

"The pickpockets used to work in groups. Some would distract
the victims and others would steal their belongings. I guess they
have moved to other footbridges because of the guards," the
vendor said.

The security personnel are from the Barungu Aneka Sistem
Sekuriti (Bass) security company, which was established in 1996.

A security guard who was assigned to guard the bridge last
week, Sopian, said there were three guards on duty on the bridge
on each shift.

The guard's presence benefits not only the hotel's guests but
also all pedestrians.

"We're assigned to watch the bridge on behalf of guests of the
hotel. But we cannot distinguish the guests from others, so I
guess we're doing it for everybody," Sopian said.

A woman who works at the World Trade Center across from the
hotel said that she always came to the hotel for lunch using the
bridge.

"I feel safe now. This kind of security should be applied on
other footbridges," the woman said.

Bass marketing officer Ade Sidik Permana said the security
personnel were only authorized to catch criminals.

"If our personnel catch one, they should hand the suspect to
the police," Ade said adding that so far the security personnel
had not found any criminals operating on the bridge.

"I guess they're afraid to commit a crime after seeing the
security personnel standing by," he added.

Ade revealed that the company had a unique criteria for
employees.

"Every employee should be a family member of the Marines. So
if they deliberately make a mistake, they will smear not only the
company's name but also the name of the Indonesian Marines' big
family," Ade said.

He said the company, which is jointly run by the Marines
Foundation and a Japanese company, had about 600 security
personnel, including 50 females, who had been adequately trained
for the job.

Ade said many people applauded the placing of the security
personnel on the bridge.

"It was like an advertisement for us. People will be asking,
who are these guards. Then they come to me and ask for our
service for their company," Ade said. (jaw)