Analyst: Active Police Officers in Civil Positions Could Keep Polri Under Political Influence
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Police analyst from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), Bambang Rukminto, believes allowing active police officers to hold civil positions in the revised Police Law (RUU Polri) could maintain the institution under political influence.
According to Bambang, if the revised Police Law still permits ministries and agencies to be staffed by active police without early retirement or resignation, it would represent a compromise on practices previously considered illegal.
‘So, even if the draft revised Police Law allows certain ministries and agencies to be staffed by police personnel without early retirement or resignation, it can be interpreted as a compromise rather than a violation of the previous Police Law,’ Bambang told Kompas.com on Thursday, 28 May 2026.
On the other hand, Bambang argues this situation also highlights the current human resources development system within the police force as suboptimal.
He explained that the core issue in the draft revised Police Law is not merely about increasing or decreasing the number of civil positions active police can fill.
Bambang stated that the regulation contradicts the spirit of Law No. 2 of 2002 on the Police.
He believes current placements of active police outside the police structure without early retirement or resignation violate Article 28 of the Police Law.
‘The fact that many active police placements outside the structure without early retirement or resignation violate Article 28 of the Police Law, which has been definitively and bindingly ruled by the Constitutional Court,’ Bambang said.
‘If the draft revised Police Law then regulates personnel placements outside the structure in some ministries and agencies without prior early retirement or resignation, it clearly goes against the reform goals set out in Law No. 2 of 2002,’ he added.
According to Bambang, the Police Law has always aimed to build a professional, independent police institution with distance from civil government functions to prevent conflicts of interest.
He also questioned why civil agencies such as the National Counter-Terrorism Agency (BNPT) and the National Narcotics Agency (BNN) must be led by active police officers.
‘What’s the difference between BNPT or BNN chiefs being led by active police versus retired officers who previously held roles such as Kadensus 88 head or Chief of Criminal Investigation?’ he asked.
‘The Police Law must be revised for a better future for Polri, not regressed into a backward paradigm,’ Bambang said.
Previously reported, Minister of Law Supratman Andi Agtas stated the government believes restrictions on civil positions for active police should be reduced.
‘The government thinks it’s better to reduce them,’ Supratman said at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, 25 May 2026.
Meanwhile, House of Representatives Commission III Chairman Habiburokhman said one key point in the Police Law draft is strict and clear regulation on police personnel serving outside the police institution.