Letter: Perception of the police

Mon, 07/07/2008 10:31 AM  |  Reader's Forum

This is a comment to an article titled "National Police still perceived as corrupt and violent," (The Jakarta Post, July 2, p. 2).

It is a very sad fact that Indonesian police do not have a good reputation. It is common knowledge that the police expect bribes, look the other way when criminals with powerful backing commit their dastardly deeds, will not and dare not perform their sworn duty when hundreds of anti-social goons intimidate helpless members of a minority group, ransack and burn properties including places of worship.

It is also common knowledge that candidates to the police academy are expected to pay exorbitant amounts of bribes to get into the academy. In other words these recruits from the word go are already criminals in the making. The population cannot expect honest, impartial and dutiful officers out of these intakes.

It is no wonder that we hear about Police officers planting drugs in stopped vehicles to extract huge bribes from the 'culprits'. Teaching Human Rights at the academy is not going to make any difference to the corrupt behavior of many of the officers. Only severe punishments, demotion and sacking might change the endemic culture of corruption in the police force.

The changes must begin at the very top of the organization. We do need an Indonesian 'Elliot Ness and the G-men'. It was high time that the police truly become our 'protectors' and not the officially sanctioned predators.

PAUL RANTAU
Jakarta

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