The Jakarta Globe, December 23, 2013.
Jakarta police on Monday urged residential units, churches and buildings like office blocks to install close-circuit television to help officers solve criminal cases that might occur during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
“We urge not only churches but also all buildings in Jakarta to install CCTV cameras facing the street,” Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Putut Eko Bayuseno said on Monday.
Putut said footage from CCTV cameras would help the police to solve crimes.
Jakarta police have beefed up security approaching the Christmas and New Year celebrations, but Putut emphasized there has been no serious threat that could disrupt the peace and security in the capital.
“The public are expected to do their bit by maintaining respect towards people who are conducting religious activities,” he said.
Putut said the Jakarta Police have conducted monitoring on all of the city’s churches to secure the buildings from potential threats.
Jakarta Police will mobilize 5,800 personnel to patrol the capital as well as to set up 102 security posts in 61 areas in the city and an additional 41 posts outside the capital.
“Before services, the bomb squad will scour the churches so we urge congregations to not bring any suspicious items to church. Officers will also be conducting security tests using metal detectors,” he said.
Jakarta Police spokesman Sr. Cmr. Rikwanto said mass at Jakarta Cathedral would be held today and Wednesday at 7:30 a.m, 9 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m.
He said 315 police officers would be deployed to patrol the cathedral.
Jakarta administrative has also said it would mobilize 3,000 Public Order Agency (Satpol PP) officials across the capital during the holiday period.
“Approximately half of the force will be focused on the Jakarta Night Festival on Dec.31,” Kukuh Hadi Santoso, the head of Jakarta’s Satpol PP told Jakarta Globe.
Satpol PP officers will also be dispersed to some public attractions including Ancol, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah and Fatahillah Museum.
“Only Satpol PP officers who celebrate Christmas will be allowed to take leave during the holiday, which is less than five percent of the total number of officers, because we need to intensify the security during the two celebrations,” he said.
There are 948 registered churches and Christian houses of worship in the Greater Jakarta area.
National Police chief Gen Sutarman previously said that 87,000 police officers would be deployed nationwide for the Christmas and New Year period, with the bulk to be stationed at churches.
Brig. Gen. Sudjarno, the Jakarta Police deputy chief, said at City Hall last week that the security situation in the capital was better than last year, with 13 percent fewer incidents of public disorder throughout the year. But he said that security during the end of the year, particularly at churches, was a high priority.
The statements came on the same day that police announced the arrests of three people for suspected terrorism, including one person believed to have been involved in planting a bomb at a Buddhist temple in West Jakarta in August.
One of the men was arrested in Lamongan, East Java, and another in Bekasi, West Java. Both were wanted for their alleged roles in a terror cell responsible for robbing a jewelry store in Tambora, West Jakarta, and shooting a police officer.
Police also announced the arrest of a man in Bekasi for allegedly being part of a terror cell based in Depok that set off an explosive device outside the Ekayana temple in Duri Kepa, West Jakarta, on Aug. 4, injuring four people.
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono warned earlier this month of the possibility of terrorist attacks this month during the Christmas period that could be compounded by political tensions ahead of next year’s legislative and presidential elections.
All Indonesians, he emphasized, had a responsibility to ensure that their fellow citizens were able to celebrate their respective holy days in peace and safety
Indonesia has been ramping up security at Christmastime since 2000 when a series of explosions targeted churches in a number of cities across the country, including Jakarta.
Three people were killed when terrorists targeted five churches in central Jakarta.
Four bombs exploded outside one church in Menteng, an exclusive Jakarta suburb, while one man was killed in another explosion in East Jakarta.
Other explosions were reported in Medan (North Sumatra) and Pekanbaru (Riau), where five people were killed including four police officers who had been trying to disarm the explosive.
In all, 14 people died in the attacks.
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ma 23 dec 2013 - 19:49