Securing peace: Police officers rest after attending a morning briefing of Operasi Lilin (Operation Candle) 2015 at Jakarta Police headquarters on Wednesday
span class="caption">Securing peace: Police officers rest after attending a morning briefing of Operasi Lilin (Operation Candle) 2015 at Jakarta Police headquarters on Wednesday. More than 100,000 police and military troops have been deployed throughout the country until Jan. 2 next year to safeguard Christmas and New's Eve celebrations from terrorist attack. (Photo: Antara/Sigid Kurniawan)
To ensure safe and smooth Christmas celebrations for all Christians, the Yogyakarta Police said they would provide extra security to churches across the province by dispatching 1,700 security personnel.
Yogyakarta Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr.Anny Pudjiastuti said on Wednesday that the extra security precautions would be conducted one day before the Christmas celebration, which falls on Friday.
'Only churches with huge numbers of congregation members would be secured. We will coordinate with precinct police offices to determine which churches we will secure,' said Anny.
Still, she made assurances that all churches and chapels holding Christmas celebrations would get necessary security measures.
'We have personnel in all areas across Yogyakarta and we will dispatch our personnel to all places that will be used for Christmas celebrations,' said Anny.
Apart from dispatching 1,700 personnel, she said, the Yogyakarta Police would also get assistance from Indonesian Military personnel and social groups in securing the Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations.
Anny said the police would hold Operation Candle 2015 to secure Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations in the province for 10 days, from Dec. 23 to Jan. 2.
'Operation Candle is aimed at preventing and anticipating threats to public security and order such as terrorism, brawls, thefts and vandalism, as well as traffic congestion, during the Christmas and New Year holidays,' said Anny. (ebf)
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