History Of Security: Police Efforts To Reject Elite Thugs In Security Services

JAKARTA - Selling security services by elite gangs of thugs is commonplace. The Sicilian Mafia (Italy) and the Yakuza (Japan) have perpetuated it. However, Indonesia has a different view. The National Police Chief, General Awaloedin Djamin, does not want Indonesia's security to depend on gangs of thugs. Therefore he formed the Security Unit (Satpam). Later, the security guard will become an assistant to the police in maintaining the security of a limited environment.

The variety of elite thug gangs has come a long way in the 1970s. The affairs handled by them are not just trivial matters. The gang of thugs is getting more and more established. More professional. Even high entrepreneurial spirit. The narrative can be seen from the existence of the Mafia and Yakuza groups.

The most well-known mafia groups are those from the island of Sicily (Italy), they are developing wings in the United States. Yakuza groups in Japan do not want to lose. This group has been present in Japan for hundreds of years. That said, the power that was initially only limited to the Japanese area, is now starting to spread its wings to various parts of the world.

They both have something in common: extraordinary tightness of organization. Even if the Yakuza or Sicilian Mafia clans are not listed as official organizations. That reason actually made their names soar. Especially the Yakuza. The popularity of the Yakuza makes them an underground organization that has a special position in Japan.

The top brass could be criss-crossing the television giving their opinion when there was a fight between gang members. This privileged position was strengthened because almost all large companies were infiltrated by the Yakuza. They sometimes act as shareholders. If not, the Yakuza are here to carry out security guard services from the company.

“In addition to maintaining the security of companies or shops, the yakuza also often play with executives of large companies, who are present at shareholder meetings to defend the executives in order to keep their functions. Sokaiya is a Yakuza that executives get paid to defend their interests."

“It is essentially blackmailing companies into pouring money into their coffers in sometimes fantastic amounts (tens or even hundreds of millions of yen) and often ends up harming the company. But many large companies can not avoid playing with sokaiya. This practice is sometimes unmasked and ends up being dragged to court by both the sokaiya and the executives,” said Ajib Rosidi in the book Japanese People and Bamboo: Notes of a Gaijin (2009).

There was no place that Yazuka couldn't lobby. More so to use their security services. From shops, bars, to brothels. This means that anyone who spends for the Yakuza will get security guarantees. The greatness of the Yakuza in Japan may be like the great influence of the power of the shogunate era.

The Japanese Empire at that time was only a symbol of sheer power, while the shogunate took the leadership of all of Japan. Same with the Yakuza. It is said that the government is like a mere symbol of power, but it is the Yakuza who make many important decisions. After all, a number of Japanese officials to politicians have often been part of the Yakuza.

“Because of their position as Yakuza, they easily get loans. They could get billions of yen with nothing in collateral, but in return, the loans were super stifling interest. This is because, among Yakuza, the fact that the borrower is a Yakuza guarantees security.”

“There is no need for the confusing list of details that general financial institutions usually demand, such as assets, or guarantors, or even submitting a business plan. It's no exaggeration to say that the Yakuza's body itself is the collateral. So, Yakuza can get capital easily, however, that's the problem, “said Shoko Tendo in the book Yakuza Moon (2004).

The expansion carried out by the Sicilian Mafia as well as the Yakuza has actually been noticed by the National Police Chief, General Awaloedin Djamin. He is concerned about the emergence of elite gangs of thugs who actually replace the work of the police as security guards. He did not want that to happen in Indonesia. Even so, Awaloedin Djamin fully understood that the police force itself would not be sufficient. Especially if you have to manage all kinds of things in the security world. However, he did not give up.

General Awaloedin Djamin then spawned a breakthrough. According to him, Indonesia should not be in the Yakuza. Slowly Awaloedin Djamin designed an extensive territorial surveillance structure known as the Environmental Security System (Siskamling). This means that groups with the potential to become elite gangs of thugs can be directly under the control of the police. Not the other way around.

The network of local security posts is inhabited by local residents and registered security guards under police direction. They are regularly inspected by the police for guidance. They are given the task of guarding special security. Alias in places that are not handled directly by the police. Hansip and security guards were born as his fruit in 1980.

“To restore monopoly control over security wars, territory needs to be broken down into smaller observable units. The siskamling system creates a new role for local gangs. Many of them were recruited into the three types of official security guards. The Civil Defense (Hansip) and night patrols are entrusted with the responsibility for environmental security," said Ian Wilson in the book "Politic Jatah Preman" (2018).

“Meanwhile, the Security Unit (Satpam) has the task of guarding the business world, bus terminals, and public places. (Everything) is coordinated by this specially formed police division, namely Community Guidance (Binmas), all hansip and security guards are required to attend regular training, after which they are given a permit and uniform.”

General Awaloedin then issued the National Police Chief Decree No. Pol: SKEP/126/XI1/1980 dated December 30, 1980 regarding the pattern of security guard development. That day was later designated as the security guard's birthday. He himself decided to choose the name of the security guard.

The name is in line with the term security guard which is commonly used abroad. He was also the one who then intervened to determine the uniform of the security guard. Blue-blue for field security. Blue-and-white for the corporate building environment.

Even General Awaloedin did not forget to stipulate that the security guard must be the responsibility of the company or agency concerned. Especially after security guards are registered, trained, and trained by the police. The presence of the security guard was greeted enthusiastically by many parties. Especially entrepreneurs. The proof can be seen from the proliferation of Security Service Companies (PJK) that distribute security guards to companies or agencies.

"So the PJK entrepreneurs can now rack their brains. Not only to adjust the company to government regulations, but also to distribute its subordinates. It's not an easy matter. In Jakarta alone there are about 25 PJK (only 16 registered) with approximately 2,500 employees. That does not include Baladhika Karya's subordinates, an attempt to gather ex-convicts, thugs and diggers to be used as security guards - with an estimated number of 5 thousand people," concluded a Tempo Magazine report entitled Slamming the Satpam (1982).

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