Bagus BT Saragih, Jakarta – The Indonesia Police Watch (IPW) claims that a lack of professionalism within the National Police contributed to the deaths of 29 officers who were killed in the line of duty in 2012.
The IPW recorded that the number of slain police officers in 2012 was higher than in 2011, when 20 officers were killed on duty. Attacks by criminals also resulted in severe injuries for 14 police officers this year, according to data compiled by the police watchdog.
The latest incident where police officers were killed was on Thursday when a shootout between Mobile Brigade (Brimob) officers and gunmen in Kalora village, Poso, Central Sulawesi, left four officers dead and two others severely wounded.
"At the beginning of 2012, I predicted that the police would continue to be targeted by criminals and terrorists because the force has not changed its training and education methods," IPW chairman Neta S. Pane said on Sunday.
Data from the IPW also showed that two officers were burnt to death by civilians. "Police officers being burnt to death has never happened before. This can also be seen as an indication of the police's failure to improve," Neta said.
Neta was referring to an incident in Lau Bakeri Village, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Feb. 26, where Brig. Ricardo Jefry Sitorus and Brig. Cristian Markus Siregar were set on fire after being attacked by an angry mob. The murdered officers, along with three other policemen, had attempted to arrest a togel (illegal lottery) dealer who ordered the attack by calling the officers thieves.
Neta believed that low morale as well as emotional instability among police officers made them vulnerable to attacks by criminals.
It did not help that the officers lacked self-defense training in dealing with serious crimes, Neta said. "The National Police must reform their education system and look into the psychological state of officers when performing their duties," Neta said. He also suggested the National Police extend the training period for police cadets.
According to the IPW, 23 of the 29 slain officers were low-ranking personnel who received between two and five months' training at the National Police School (SPN) in Lido, Sukabumi, West Java. "New cadets should undergo training at the SPN for at least two years," he said.
The IPW also found that Papua remained the most dangerous region for the police with 10 officers being killed there in 2012. Central Sulawesi, which includes Poso, is the second-most dangerous region. Five personnel were killed in Poso in 2012.
National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar said the IPW report would motivate the police to improve their performance. "The National Police will never stop making improvements," he said.