Muslim and Christian police officers caught drunk or being a tad disrespectful to their boss in an Indonesian province are facing an unusual style of punishment _ a crash course on religious morality.
About 150 officers accused of a range of minor offenses will spend a week at classes overseen by either Christian or Muslim preachers depending on their religion, Lt. Col. Syarif Pandiangan said Monday.
"We want the public to know that we are taking even the smallest misdemeanors seriously," he said. "The police will have time to reflect on their mistakes."
Once officers have completed the course they will return to active duty in Riau province, about 800 kilometers (500 miles) northwest of Jakarta, Pandiangan said.
Police in Indonesia are chronically underfunded and poorly disciplined. Like the country's military, officers often earn extra cash by engaging in illegal activities, like providing security for prostitution houses or gambling dens.