The United States government on Wednesday discussed issues on natural disaster management in Batam, Riau Islands province, with 10 provincial police chiefs across Sumatra.
Head of the Security Enhancement Agency at the National Police headquarters Comr. Gen. Imam Haryatna told The Jakarta Post the International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) had provided disaster management training aimed at coping with recurrent natural disasters in the country, such as tsunami, floods and landslides.
"Police chiefs from across Sumatra will be the first to attend the course which will later be followed up with technical training with police forces across the island. The U.S. has provided training to the police on how to cope with disasters in the country, like the one in California recently," said Imam.
Imam said training materials would be distributed to police forces across the country. Similar courses would also be held on Java and Kalimantan.
Those taking part in the meeting included police chiefs Insp. Gen. Rismawan of Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam, Insp. Gen. Nurudin Usman of North Sumatra, Brig. Gen. Sutjiptadi of Riau, Brig. Gen. Sutarman of Riau Islands, Brig. Gen. Utjin Sudiana of West Sumatra, Insp. Gen. Ito Sumardi of South Sumatra, Brig. Gen. Sudibyo of Bengkulu, Brig. Gen. Budi Gunawan of Jambi, Brig. Gen. Imam Sujarwo of Bangka Belitung and Brig. Gen. Suharjono of Lampung.
Imam said his agency was looking forward to the training program which was intended to enhance the management capacity of the police across the country.
Aceh Police Chief Insp. Gen. Rismawan said after the training he was more aware of the lack of coordination between relevant agencies during disasters.
"ICITAP has provided us with valuable material, so much so that we are now aware that agencies did not coordinate well with one another during the tsunami in Aceh a few years back. The training program has provided us with knowledge on how to mobilize all forces which are connected with one another," said Rismawan.
Rismawan, however, added this did not mean the police would become the leading force in disaster management, as that was the domain of the National Disaster Management Coordinating Agency.
"The police, as an institution, is prepared in terms of management in the event of a disaster. We are aware now of what we should do and how to mobilize the available forces," said Rismawan.
Recently, ICITAP, represented by U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Cameron Hume, gifted 15 patrol boats to the National Police to secure the country's sea territory.
