T

he North Sumatra Police will investigate personnel who are alleged to have committed extortion and violence against members of the public, resulting in injuries and deaths.

Violent acts committed by police personnel are considered a serious threat to the public, particularly as the police are armed with guns.

A drug suspect was recently found dead after alleged torture in police detention, while another died trying to escape police gunfire.

North Sumatra Police spokesperson Adj. Sr. Comr. Rina Sari Ginting said violence and alleged extortion involving individuals from the Tiga Binanga Police in Karo regency would be thoroughly investigated.

She said her side would not protect members of the police who violated the law.

“Police individuals committing wrongdoings, whoever they are, will face punishment. The heaviest sanction is dismissal and the cases are processed according to the law,” Rina said on Wednesday.

Another spokesperson, Adj. Sr. Comr. MP Nainggolan, said two individuals from the Toba Samosir Police were named suspects last week for allegedly torturing to death a drug suspect in his cell.

The two police officers were Brig. LC Pangaribuan and Brig. MP Purba. The drug suspect was identified as Andi Pangaribuan.

The Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) said on Wednesday that a number of violent assaults committed by police personnel in North Sumatra in recent months had ended in fatalities.

Kontras investigation leader M. Amin Multazam Lubis said his organization received reports from the community on violent acts committed by police officers in the region almost every month.

He said hundreds of injured victims had filed reports with Kontras. Some victims were even reported to have died because of police violence.

This included violence committed by officers from the Tiga Binanga Police in April 2016, which led to the death of Amirson Sitepu.

“The North Sumatra Police have to thoroughly investigate the case to provide justice for the victims,” Amin told a press conference at his office on Wednesday, which was also attended by victims’ families.

He added that most of the violence reported to Kontras was rooted in agrarian conflicts, evictions, rallies and the abuse of suspects.

Amin said Amirson died when he was carried away by the current in the Lau Titikambing River after a number of police officers fired gunshots at him and five of his friends as they were chatting on the side of the Tiga Binanga-Kutacane road.

Amirson and his friends fled in fear at the gunshots. The police continued shooting, leading Amirson to jump into the water. His body was found two weeks later in the Lau Gunung River, Dairi regency.

Amin added that Tiga Binanga Police personnel had forced two of Amirson’s friends to pay Rp 11 million after they were arrested on suspicion of owning drug paraphernalia.

After the pair was investigated, no evidence was found. They were nevertheless forced to pay to close the case, Amin said.

Arbitrary acts committed by police individuals, according to Amin, violated Article 2 of Law No. 2/2002 on the police. The article, Amin said, stipulated that the police functioned as guardians of security, public order, law enforcement and public services.