Boni Hargens: A Strong Police Force is One Trusted by the Public

Political observer Boni Hargens has assessed that a professional, independent police force trusted by the public is one of the important prerequisites for realising quality democracy in Indonesia. According to him, democracy cannot function effectively without a law enforcement institution that upholds the supremacy of law and gains legitimacy from the public. “Therefore, in looking towards Indonesia’s future, normative expectations of the National Police are not merely moral demands, but rather functional prerequisites for the continuity of quality democracy,” Boni said in a statement in Jakarta on Wednesday. Boni stated that the legitimacy of the police is ultimately determined by the level of public acceptance and trust in the institution. According to him, dialogue between officers and citizens, community involvement in identifying local security issues, and quick, empathetic responses to public reports are long-term investments for building public trust. “A strong police force is not one that is feared, but one that is trusted, because public trust is the true source of authority in a democratic state,” he said. The former Supervisory Board member of the ANTARA National News Agency also assessed that the ongoing police reform agenda has touched on institutional aspects, organisational culture, and sustainable human resource capacity building. In addition, he assessed that the PRESISI (Predictive, Responsibility, Transparency with Justice) vision promoted by National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo serves as an institutional transformation framework that positions the police as an adaptive and accountable public servant oriented towards the principles of a democratic rule of law. According to him, this approach encourages performance openness, budget transparency, and a more responsive complaints mechanism so that justice is not only upheld but also felt by the public.