Traffic police raids

Traffic police raids

From Kompas

I was impressed when I heard about a circular issued by Lt. Col. Istoto Sukismo, the Indramayu police subprecinct chief, saying that drivers should not connive with policemen during the launching of the Mandiri operation. The intention was clear: to instill discipline in the police force in his territory.

To enforce discipline and to restore an image are hard to achieve. I experienced police fickleness myself last Oct. 4.

It was 5.30 a.m. and I was riding in a diesel truck. In front of the Jatibarang fuel station exit opposite a Jatibarang police station, our driver had to brake suddenly as three policemen had ordered the vehicle to stop.

Having done nothing contrary to traffic regulations our driver got out of the truck and showed the traffic wardens the vehicle's documents and equipment. Everything was in order and the load carried was well below the allowable limit. Still, the policemen did not give up trying to obtain money.

An agreement was reached of Rp 1,000 per person, a relatively small amount. But the behavior of the traffic officers delayed our trip from Cirebon to Subang. The driver told us that between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m. traffic policemen routinely conduct "personal raids".

I would like this report to serve as feedback for the Indramayu police subprecinct chief whose efforts to enforce discipline in his ranks have my greatest sympathy.

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