Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s National Police have deployed 198 officers from three police training schools to four fire-prone regions to raise public awareness and prevent wildfires, particularly those caused by land clearing.
Police Spokesperson Brigadier General Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko said the deployment was a preventive measure aimed primarily at discouraging land clearing through burning.
“Of 403 officers in training, 198 have been deployed to priority locations. They will educate communities and help address wildfires at their source,” he said here Sunday.
Andiko said 103 officers were deployed to West Kalimantan, 48 to Central Kalimantan, 10 to East Kalimantan and 37 to South Sumatra. They were instructed to coordinate with local police.
He said the grassroots program also reflects the police’s recognition that public awareness must improve regarding wildfires’ impacts on health, the environment, society and the economy.
“Wildfires cannot wait. We must raise public awareness before fires break out,” Andiko said.
The officer said awareness efforts are being conducted alongside fire containment, hotspot and wildfire-risk monitoring, and law enforcement against those responsible for fires.
“Fire prevention is crucial. We invite residents to protect the environment, avoid burning land and report signs of wildfires,” he said.
Police earlier announced plans to deploy 403 personnel from the National Police Education and Training Institute for public education as wildfires spread across several regions.
Institute head Commissioner General R.Z. Panca Putra Simanjuntak said the deployment followed President Prabowo Subianto’s order for police to strengthen their role in wildfire prevention.
Brigadier General Auliansyah Lubis, a senior officer at the National Police Operations Office, said the program was part of the police’s wildfire mitigation strategy.
He added that the Mobile Brigade Corps, known as Brimob, had also been deployed to support ongoing firefighting operations.
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Translator: Devi Nindy, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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