Antara News, Fri, June 3 2011
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The U.S. Departments of Justice and State recently delivered two boats to the Indonesian National Police as part of the Indonesia Maritime Security Project (MARSEC), The U.S. Embassy here said in its official website on Friday.
The two boats increase to 19 the total number of boats provided to Indonesia as part of the MARSEC program. The patrol boats are deployed throughout the archipelago to assist Indonesia in securing vital maritime borders, sea lanes, natural resources, and ports.
In the first year of operation, the U.S.-provided boats seized over $10 million USD in contraband and continue to be an integral and effective component of Indonesia`s maritime security efforts.
Currently, the patrol boats are deployed in Batam-Riau, Sumatra; Bangka Island Straits, Balikpapan; Tarakan, Kalimantan; Bitung, North Sulawesi; Sorong, Papua; and Ternate-Sofia, North Maluku.
The United States Department of Justice International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program`s (ICITAP) mission in Indonesia is to support the development of the operational and organizational capacity and competencies of the Government of Indonesia`s law enforcement agencies.
ICITAP is funded by the U. S. Department of State`s Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) and provides organizational development interventions, technical assistance, training, and equipment donations to augment Indonesia`s law enforcement efforts.
ICITAP support helps the Indonesian National Police continue its transition to a professional democratic law enforcement organization utilizing internationally accepted law enforcement standards and practices.
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
