POLICE TO DEPLOY 470,685 PERSONEL FOR CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR
Trade and Investment News - 22 Desember 2008
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The National Police will deploy 470,685 personnel under “Operation Candle” in a bid to monitor celebrations of Christmas and New Year Eye across the country, a police spokesman, reported Kompas. Abubakar Nataprawira said the operation will begin on December 22 and continue until January 2. The operation would guard several important spots, including churches, shopping centers, railway stations and airports, from security disturbances.Meanwhile, National Police Chief Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri says the newly installed Jakarta Police chief will have to remain alert next year, predicted to be marred with tensions, reported The Jakarta Post."Next year, the people will vote in the general elections, which will involve mass campaigns which are prone to horizontal conflicts," Danuri said. "I hope the new Jakarta Police chief will emphasize the need to conduct serious prevention measures to anticipate such conflicts."

Insp. Gen. Wahyono replaced Insp. Gen. Adang Firman as Jakarta Police chief. Firman will retire at the end of this month.The current economic crisis poses another possible threat, with many factories in the country forced to lay off thousands of employees, Danuri said. "Lay-offs give birth to a higher unemployment rate, which will likely increase the crime rate," he said. Wahyono said a better security system aimed at delivering quicker responses to potential threats was now under deliberation."We are ready to safeguard the general elections in the upcoming year, including evading potential threats from unavoidable layoff schemes that may come as a result from the world economic crisis," he said.

Sumber: www.ekon.go.id