Bhayangkara 2026: Analyst Highlights Expanded Authority in New Police Law

A security analyst has called for the 80th Bhayangkara Day commemoration on 1 July to serve as a moment of deep evaluation regarding the institutional direction of the National Police, following the enactment of Law Number 5 of 2026 which grants the force significant new authority. Bambang Rukminto, a policing analyst from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), assessed that the regulatory changes mark a shift in the orientation of the National Police away from the spirit of reform. He stated that this year’s anniversary should be a time for reflection on the police’s position in national life. Bambang explained that since its founding on 1 July 1946, the National Police was established as a constitutional police force oriented towards public service and law enforcement. However, the passing of Law Number 5 of 2026, which revises Law Number 2 of 2002, is considered to have altered that direction. ‘Law 5/2026 has reversed course from the spirit of democratic policing. This new law is more oriented towards a security state policing model rather than the public-oriented policing that was the spirit of reform,’ Bambang told Media Indonesia on Tuesday. Among the crucial points he highlighted were Article 14 letter m regarding duties related to ‘national strategic interests’, Article 28A concerning the placement of active personnel in civilian posts, and Article 30 paragraph (5) letter c related to the flexibility of the National Police’s top leadership. Bambang assessed that the phrase ‘national strategic interests’ is highly problematic because it lacks clear operational boundaries. Without firm limits, he fears the police’s functions could expand into the domains of civilian ministries or agencies, a phenomenon known in security studies as mission creep. He therefore stressed the importance of oversight and accountability commensurate with the magnitude of these new powers. ‘The challenge for the National Police going forward is not only strengthening security capacity, but also maintaining professionalism and public trust amidst its increasingly broad authority,’ he concluded.