Our National Police<\/p>\n
The Indonesian National Police (Polri) has passed a major
\nmilestone in its history. It is finding itself in the totally
\nunfamiliar situation of having to change into a brand new
\norganization as it turns 54 years old on Saturday. Caught in the
\ngrand process of democratic reform which is currently sweeping
\nthe country, it has had to shed its military image and turn
\nitself into an effective, civilian-based law-enforcing apparatus.<\/p>\n
Needless to say, that is not an easy task to accomplish for an
\norganization that for more than 30 years has been designed to
\noperate as part of the country's Armed Forces, not for the
\npurpose of enforcing the law and protecting the public. It was
\ndesigned to serve the interests of those in power.<\/p>\n
How, one may ask, is Polri coping in this new situation?<\/p>\n
In regard to organization, it must be said that Polri seems to
\nbe doing well in the process of trying to transform itself into a
\nreal police force which can be found in any democratic country in
\nthe world. As a force, it was separated from the military earlier
\nduring the year, though for the time being it remains under the
\nsupervision of the Ministry of Defense. And as of Saturday, the
\nNational Police will shed its military-style ranks and adopt new
\nones that are more in line with its new civilian status. More
\nimportantly, as far as the public is concerned though, is what
\nall this means in regard to the functional operation of the
\npolice force.<\/p>\n
Indonesians have long yearned to have a National Police force
\nthat is effective, and also honest, in protecting them against
\ncrime in any form. This, however, is a wish that is still far
\nfrom being realized. The cases of vigilantism, which are
\nexemplified by the burning and beating of alleged common
\ncriminals, can be seen as an expression of public impatience, or
\ndistrust, with the performance of the police. Complaints are
\nstill often heard about traffic police officers asking for money,
\nfor example, by falsely accusing motorists of violating traffic
\nsigns. In many cases, the police seem to be where they are not
\nneeded and absent where they are, such as during traffic jams,
\nstreet brawls or crimes.<\/p>\n
These, of course, are classic complaints and are not always
\njustified. There are certainly many officers who conscientiously
\nperform their duties, despite personal difficulties. This
\nphenomenon, though, sheds light on one of the problems that the
\nNational Police is confronted with -- that of inadequate pay.
\nThis is a problem that the government and legislature can
\nhopefully resolve in order to improve the performance of the
\nNational Police.<\/p>\n
In short, one cannot emphasize enough the importance of having
\na capable and effective police force. Democracy can only thrive
\nin societies where the law rules supreme. For this to be
\npossible, the presence of a clean and effective police force is
\nessential.<\/p>\n
This leads us to one last note for this occasion: Given the
\nrole which the National Police necessarily plays in the process
\nof democratization, it would be worthwhile to consider placing
\nthe force under the supervision of the minister of home affairs
\nor the governors in the provinces. Placing the police under the
\nsupervision of the President could mean a return to the old
\nsystem in which the National Police become an instrument for
\nthose who are in power. If that happens, all the efforts we have
\nbeen making to put sovereignty back into the hands of the people
\nwill have been in vain.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/our-national-police-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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