Changes in the force

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has finally made up his mind to promote his long-time friend and a police officer with a good track record, Comr. Gen. Sutanto, as the new National Police (Polri) chief. The appointment comes five months after current chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar failed to meet the 100-day deadline Susilo gave him in October to arrest alleged Malaysian terrorists Azahari and Nurdin M. Top.

Da'i who was appointed not long after President Megawati Soekarnoputri came to power in July 2001, was widely expected to retire after Susilo replaced Megawati in October last year. And since then, Sutanto, who served as one of Soeharto's four adjutants from 1995 until the president's fall in 1998, has often been mentioned as one of the favorite candidates for the position.

Any change at the top of Polri always attracts public attention because of the police's important public service role; their mandate to maintain public order and domestic security.

At least that is the theory. People are also likely to take an interest because of the police's very shortcomings in this role; their frequent inability to realize their motto "To serve and to protect" the people, which has made them probably one of the most disliked state institutions in the country. The police have long had a poor public image here and unfortunately this has failed to improve since they were separated from the Indonesian Military in 1999 to become a civilian organization.

As illustrated by a World Bank opinion survey, people's perception of the quality of police services has remained unchanged since 1999. As nearly all of the current police personnel from all levels of the force were educated in a military fashion, it seems that more time is needed to change their military mentalities.

Then there are the jokes; that police have been known to declare a victim of a burglary or theft as a suspect in the same case. Or that people whose motorbikes are stolen might end up losing their cars as well after reporting the theft -- so high are the bribes officers require just to make a search. And, as any driver knows, the prices for licenses are always higher than the official rate, although in public police ask people to pay only the standard fee.

However, like them or not, we have to live with the police. And as Indonesia advances in its journey toward a civil society, a reliable, clean police force becomes key to maintaining a sustainable, democratic society. We should certainly not let police weaknesses become an excuse for the military to regain the role in domestic security and public order it had during the Soeharto era.

As horrible as the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attack and the 2002 Bali bombing were, they were a blessing in disguise for the National Police. After Bali, many Western countries and international organizations rushed to assist them with sophisticated counter-terrorism equipment, along with financial assistance and educational expertise. This wealth of help has often irritated the TNI, which is still facing a military embargo from the United States.

The contributions and cooperation have paid off. The police won international praise for their success in bringing to court the perpetrators for Bali and the JW Marriott Hotel attack in 2003. Last year's attack on the Australian Embassy in Jakarta could also be uncovered in a relatively short time.

But the threat of terror here remains, and two key suspects, Azahari and Nurdin, are still at large. There are cynics who believe the police's inability to arrest the Malaysians has nothing to do with Azahari and Nurdin's supposed genius at evading capture, or the police's lack of professionalism by first world standards.

Meanwhile, horizontal conflicts continue in Maluku and Poso, Central Sulawesi, while rebellions flare up with depressing regularity in the military-controlled areas of Papua and Aceh where police are unable to quell the violence.

Despite his shortcomings and those of the force he commands, Da'i has made some significant achievements. His public relations skill has helped him face up to public criticism. And compared to his two immediate predecessors, he is far less controversial.

So far Sutanto has had an impressive track record, especially during his terms as North Sumatra and East Java police chief. He keeps a low profile, and some people who have known him since he was a military colonel testify that his commitment to serve the nation as a police officer remains strong.

Sutanto, who is required by the law to retire at 58 in 2008, fully realizes the heavy burden he will have to bear and the high public expectations on him. With full trust from the President, he will be expected to enable the police to provide a much better service to the public.

The House of Representatives (DPR) is expected to approve Sutanto's nomination shortly and people should start expecting to see changes in the police soon.