Bamsoet Calls for Digital Transformation of Security Guard Oversight

The security guard (Satpam) profession is an integral part of the national security system, performing a limited police function. Therefore, its oversight must prioritise legal certainty, professionalism, accountability, and the use of digital technology to ensure optimal public protection. Based on data from the National Police’s Security Maintenance Agency (Korbinmas Baharkam Polri), the number of officially registered Satpam personnel reaches approximately 849,750, consisting of 806,151 Gada Pratama, 28,616 Gada Madya, and 14,983 Gada Utama members. This significant number represents a major potential to support the national security system. However, the discovery of fake Satpam identities, weak administrative verification processes, and the lack of nationally integrated data indicate an urgent need to update the oversight system using information technology. The development of information technology has altered the pattern of security threats. Crime is becoming increasingly sophisticated, utilising fake identities, document forgery, and the misuse of official Satpam attributes. Amidst these conditions, an oversight system that still relies on manual administration is finding it increasingly difficult to guarantee the accuracy of Satpam personnel identities, a situation that could erode public trust in the community security system that has been a strategic partner of the National Police in maintaining environmental safety. Cases of Satpam membership card forgery in various regions serve as a warning that the existing verification system still has many loopholes. The government must provide an electronic system capable of verifying the identity, competence, certification, and assignment history of every Satpam member quickly and accurately. Several cases have shown that the use of Satpam attributes by unauthorised parties can pose serious risks, ranging from abuse of authority and criminal acts exploiting security attributes to losses for the public and businesses. This issue is not merely an administrative violation but also concerns legal certainty, public protection, and the credibility of the security system. Therefore, the digital transformation of Satpam oversight should be a national policy priority. Building an integrated national electronic data verification system involving the National Police, security service companies, Satpam training institutions, and corporate security users could be the solution. Every Satpam personnel member must have a digital identity that can be verified in real-time, thereby minimising opportunities for identity misuse. Strengthening the Satpam oversight system will positively impact the investment climate and economic growth. The business world needs assurance that security personnel assigned to industrial estates, shopping centres, banks, hospitals, residential areas, and vital objects truly possess accountable competence and legality. A modern oversight system can also strengthen the synergy between the National Police and community security forces in facing evolving security challenges. Modernising Satpam oversight is a long-term investment for national security. When legality, competence, and oversight are conducted digitally, transparently, and in an integrated manner, legal certainty is strengthened, public trust increases, the business world feels secure, and Indonesia will have a more professional community security system capable of addressing future security challenges.