Farouk Arnaz, Banda Aceh – President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has singled out religious-based conflict and violence in his latest call for a crackdown on crime.

National Police Chief Gen. Timur Pradopo said on Friday at a ceremony in Aceh's capital to mark the 65th anniversary of the force that the president had ordered him to target radicalism, terrorism and social conflicts.

"I don't want the state to hold back from prosecuting criminals," Timur quoted Yudhoyono as saying. "The police should stand up and protect citizens."

The police have come under fire recently for what activists have said is an unwillingness to step in and prevent religious-based violence. Some commentators have even accused police personnel of taking sides in social conflicts, merely standing aside when such violence occurs.

According to Timur, Yudhoyono also urged the police to boost their capacity for preventing crimes from occurring, particularly in cases such as rioting and communal violence.

"Be ready at any time so people will feel that they are always safe," Timur read from the president's speech.

Timur said Yudhoyono had called on the police to create an environment where people were not afraid of crime. "The police should also step up their capacity in service and responsiveness in protecting people with empathy," Timur quoted the president as saying.

The president also said police officers should frequently exercise and always employ clear standard operating procedures, the police chief said.

Timur also referred to the need to quickly deal with unrest, adding that if an incident was not contained in a timely manner, "home security may be seriously threatened."

Responding to the president's instructions, the police chief said that his force was ready to treat all cases fairly and protect all citizens without exception.

"We realize that we should be fair in upholding the law, particularly when dealing with radicalism based on religion," Timur said, adding that firm action was needed to prevent the problem from spiraling out of control.

But he also conceded that the police force was not perfect and was still facing a lot of problems. "We apologize for our mistakes. We are always open to constructive criticism," he added.

Rights activists have accused the police of fanning the flames of religious violence rather than protecting victims.

Choirul Anam, deputy director of the Human Rights Working Group, has said the trend has been apparent over the past three years, citing the mob attack on a small group of Ahmadis in Cikeusik, Banten, in February that saw three people killed.