BRIN: Police Trust Levels Depend on Societal Culture
Jakarta – A senior researcher at Indonesia’s National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Syafuan Rozi, has argued that one of the key factors influencing public trust in police is societal culture. According to Syafuan, if a society has strong legal culture, this directly affects the level of public confidence in the police.
Syafuan made these remarks during a public security forum titled “The Existence of Polri in Maintaining Public Order During Ramadan,” jointly organised by the Indonesian Youth Front (FPIR) and BRIN.
According to Syafuan, global data on public trust trends in police remain highest in the Netherlands, which ranks first among nations with minimal crime rates. This is inseparable from Dutch societal culture. “The Netherlands implements a restorative justice system, which serves as an initial mitigation measure in the social life of local communities there. Before moving towards law enforcement, communities first resolve disputes through family-level mediation or customary law approaches,” Syafuan explained.
Syafuan also expressed gratitude for Hermawan Sulistyo, a political scientist who has assisted in designing structural and cultural reforms within the Indonesian National Police institution. “Professor Hermawan teaches at Bhayangkara University. Through this role, he trains police officers, from AKBP cadets onwards, to develop capabilities comparable to police forces in Japan, Singapore and the Netherlands,” he noted.
During the same event, FPIR coordinator Fauzan Ohorella presented police performance data that remains largely unknown to the public during Ramadan. Fauzan explained that food security and price stability of basic commodities are closely tied to the active role of Polri, Indonesia’s police force. “The National Police Chief should instruct personnel to establish task forces aimed at monitoring and suppressing distributors and middlemen. This directly impacts communities, particularly women during Ramadan,” Fauzan stated.
Fauzan also noted that many observers closely monitor police performance during Ramadan, referencing commentary from senior political analyst Boni Hargens, who views the police’s Ramadan Safari programme as a manifestation of social facilitation.