Traffic policemen removed for health reasons
Traffic policemen removed for health reasons
JAKARTA (JP): The City Traffic Police plan to transfer officers who have been deployed on the roads for a long time to help reduce stress, as was revealed in a recent study made by a renowned university.
"We're still discussing the plan and it might take some time before we come to a conclusion," Lt. Col. Herman S.S., head of the police investigation division, told The Jakarta Post yesterday.
According to the plan, a wide number of traffic policemen who have "survived" in heavy air pollution for between five and 10 years will be replaced with those currently working at administrative units.
The "new" officers will be carefully selected, Herman said.
Recent research, conducted by a group led by Wahyadi from the University of Indonesia, revealed that a total of 41.2 percent of the 300 traffic police officers investigated in the survey were inclined to suffer from certain psychopathic personality traits.
As many as 21.8 percent of the respondents were suffering from anxiety problems, the study said.
The study also said that the level of frustration suffered by traffic police was three times higher than normal. At a certain point, disappointment could turn into anger, it said.
The members of the study included psychologists and traffic experts.
Half of the 300 respondents, covering corporals, sergeants and warrant officers, were deployed on the roads, while the remaining half were administrative officers.
A total of the 163 samples said that they had been at their current posts for at least five years, 72 officers between six and 10 years, and 25 for more than 10 years.
Only 19 officers took up their posts by choice, while the remainder were assigned to them.
It is 's no secret that certain offices, such as the office producing driving license and vehicle documents, appear to produce wealthier police officers than others.
The study, however, gave no information about the economic status of the respondents, nor what it was that caused the officers frustration.
Generally speaking, standing constantly for at least six hours in the middle of traffic in a metropolis like Jakarta explain the poor condition of the police, who rarely use masks.
Some even say that doing this too long may cause impotence in male officers.
The study suggested that the authorities issue regulations to limit the working period of the officers.
Rotating the officers to other posts is necessary to help improve their mentalities and personalities, the study said. (bsr)