Commissioner Eko Changes Community Mindsets to Protect Forests and Develop Green Policing

Due to his environmental concerns, Commissioner Eko has been nominated by the Riau community for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards. One of the nominators is environmental activist Dody Rasyid Amin, who is also the founder of the Subayang Festival Riau.

Dody stated that one of Commissioner Eko’s efforts to protect the forest is to change the mindset of the local community. Young people are given training so that they no longer see the forest as their primary source of livelihood.

“My place here is a wildlife sanctuary, with 10 villages in the forest area that have no electricity, no roads, no internet, so the children here have limited opportunities for education. Opportunities for decent work are limited, so many engage in illegal logging and taking from the forest,” Dody told detikcom on Monday (30/3/2026).

Dody is a resident of Kampar Kiri Hulu, Kampar Regency. He got to know Commissioner Eko when attending the 2025 Karhutla Jamboree organised by the Riau Regional Police.

“At that event, Rocky Gerung and Abdul Somad were present; I was the event organiser. The Director was there, he saw some cultural performances and asked me, ‘What do people here earn, Bang?’ I explained the dire situation regarding job opportunities,” said Dody.

To Commissioner Eko, Dody mentioned that there are several villages in Kampar Kiri Hulu located in the middle of the forest. He conveyed that the community engages in forest clearing because there are no other jobs.

“I suggested, ‘Please help, Sir, how can they be given training or something to work outside, so their jobs are no longer illegal.’ It was responded to at the time,” he said.

Dody is also with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Riau. He is concerned that the remote community’s dependence on the forest in Kampar will damage the environment. He revealed a tradition where every newly married couple usually clears 2 hectares of forest land.

“So if one village has just 4 marriages, times 10 villages means 40, times 2 hectares. That means potentially 80 hectares opened in one year for new jobs. So if they are not redirected to have other incomes, I think the 140,000-hectare wildlife sanctuary is just waiting to happen,” he said.

Dody realises that changing the community’s mindset is not easy. He noted that Commissioner Eko provided a good approach to the community.

“Changing people here, changing their lifestyle, is not easy. So when he visited, he brought basic necessities while conveying the idea. It turned out there was a response, and some of the young people understood that there are opportunities,” he said.

Dody mentioned that as many as 60 local youths participated in security guard training. Among the youths who joined the training, some are already working.

“Now there are siblings who are already working. Some are not yet, because changing their mindset isn’t instant. If they join on their own, education costs around 3 million, so it’s very helpful. Many children here previously worked as security; if registering alone, it costs 5 million for education, uniforms—this is free, assisted, and placed,” he explained.

The youths who have participated in the training programme will be made Ambassadors for Green Policing. It is hoped that these youths can encourage other community members to care about the environment and protect the forest.

“So the siblings who are trained are made Ambassadors for Green Policing, so it’s hoped that after training, it’s not just about getting jobs, but also helping, becoming ambassadors in the community to convey the importance of protecting the environment,” he explained.

Involving Students to Care for the Environment

Commissioner Eko has also been nominated for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards by the Chairman of the Riau Green Union, Hengky Primana. He said that Commissioner Eko works in the environmental field in line with the Riau Police Chief Inspector General Herry Heryawan’s programme.

“Look at Mr Eko’s dedication. He also has an approach to students by forming what is called Green Policing Ambassadors, the Police Chief’s programme. We also assess the creative programmes and positive activities he has created,” said Hengky when contacted separately.

In this environmental care programme, Commissioner Eko also involves active community roles. He revitalises the neighbourhood watch programme and enforces the law with a local wisdom approach, one of which is the Dubalang Batang Kuantan programme.

“He works in the environmental field, education; he carries out community guidance tasks that are truly needed by the community, such as forming neighbourhood watches, the Dubalang Batang Kuantan nurtured by him, which involves the community in maintaining security and public order,” he explained.

Hengky stated that the Dubalang Batang Kuantan approach can help police in cracking down on violations. One of them is illegal gold mining in Kuantan Singingi (Kuansing).

“In Kuantan Singingi, what was formed… there was illegal gold mining in Kuansing by the community; when officials crack down, the community sometimes resists, like hijacking the Police Chief’s vehicle at that time,” he said.

“The initiative of Dubalang Batang Kuantan that was formed is how the community guards the community, so the community is formed to mutually guard each other. Translating the programme directed by the Police Chief in the Green Policing earlier,” he explained.

Hengky mentioned that the Riau Regional Police’s Green Policing programme also partners with students. The students are made ambassadors to encourage the community to care about the environment.

“He once said Green School Academy, bringing in all high school students, OSIS children. So now OSIS children are all talking about Green Policing. So the OSIS Chairmen in Riau are making security and public order, voicing the environment and other education,” he said.

Commissioner Eko’s Approach Changes Community Mindsets

Commissioner Eko has been the Director of Community Guidance at Riau Regional Police since April 2025. After being inaugurated, he has strived to address the issues in the community.

“So far, I have never directly been assigned in the community guidance field.”