"The shoot-on-sight measure can be taken if suspected criminals threaten the safety of residents and police personnel," Sukabumi Police Resort Chief Adj Sr Com Bagus Srigustian said here on Monday.
Bagus said the order was mainly applicable to armed criminals who threaten public safety but police personnel should not carry out the order recklessly or against any criminal. "The shoot-on-sight order must be executed according to the standing operation procedure and must not cause panic among residents," he said.
The police also had equipped personnel safeguarding vital objects such as banks and other crime-prone places with firearms. At least two police personnel would be stationed at each of the vital objects, he said.
The shoot-on-sight order came a few days after a group of people attacked police officers in Palu, capital of Central Sulawesi province.
The head of the National Police`s public relations division, Insp Gen Anton Bachrul Alam, said on Monday the police attackers had intended to collect firearms for use in robberies.
The attackers had taken away one of the police officers` guns in the attack that left two police officers dead and another wounded.
Police said they had found indications of terrorist intentions in last May 25`s attack on police officers in Palu.
Police were still investigating the case following indications of terrorist designs in the incident, Bachrul said.
Bagus said police in Sukabumi were stepping up patrols to anticipate the possibility of the Palu incident happening in Sukabumi. "We equip each of our on-duty officers with firearms," he said.
He said northern Sukabumi district was prone to crime.
(Uu.S012/HAJM/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
