W. Jakarta's crime rate drops by 32%

JAKARTA (JP): City Police Chief, Maj. Gen. Hamami Nata, said yesterday the crime total in West Jakarta had dropped by 32 percent over the last eight months.

Hamami made the remark at the installation of Lt. Col. Timur Pradopo as the new West Jakarta Police precinct chief, replacing Lt. Col. Bakat Purwanto.

Hamami said under the leadership of Lt. Col. Bakat, the number of crimes in the precinct decreased to 1,114 cases from 1,630 in the corresponding period during the previous chief's tenure.

"The crime total in West Jakarta is the fourth highest in Greater Jakarta's nine police precincts," Hamami said.

Hamami praised Bakat for his strenuous efforts to process about 72 percent of the 1,635 cases during his eight-month tenure. Burglary topped the crime list.

According to the chief of the West Jakarta Police detectives unit, Capt. Idham Azis, the success in processing 72 percent of the incoming cases was particularly due to the application of Bakat's one-day-service strategy.

"Under the strategy, he ordered all of his men to complete the dossier of each case within 24 hours," he said. More complicated cases were given around a week to complete.

An estimated 10 dossiers were completed each day, he said.

"Those who could meet the one-day-service target were rewarded Rp 100,000 (US$28) in cash at the time the officer handed over the dossier to his superior," said Idham.

He said the money was utilized from the education and training budget.

Timur was previously head of the research division of the City Traffic Police, while Bakat would be promoted as a deputy to the chief of City Police Detectives. (cst)