Tourist police squad set up

JAKARTA (JP): National Police Chief Lt. Gen. Dibyo Widodo inaugurated a tourist police unit, called "Polisi Pariwisata" (Police for Tourists), yesterday at the Jakarta Police headquarters.

Dibyo said 70 police officers who had been taught English would be placed in city tourist destinations, hotels and airports.

"We will also arrange a similar unit in the country's tourist spots, like in Yogyakarta and Bali. Jakarta is a pilot project," Dibyo said after inaugurating the unit.

He said the officers were taught not only self-defense but also local culture in the hope they could explain anything relating to culture to tourists.

"By setting up the unit, we want to support the development of tourism which has became a priority in national development," he said.

The unit, which is led by Maj. Nur Usman, is equipped with cars and motorcycles. The picture shows two tourist policewomen on duty. (jun)