East Kalimantan Police Involve Persons with Disabilities in Drug Prevention Programme

As part of efforts to strengthen the prevention of drug abuse and illicit trafficking, the Narcotics Directorate (Ditresnarkoba) of the East Kalimantan Regional Police (Polda Kaltim) has launched the Mitra Inklusi Reserse Bhayangkara programme through a more inclusive approach by involving persons with disabilities, recruiting two disabled individuals as casual daily employees (PHL). The recruitment of Muhammad Dendy and Illiyin Nur, who are deaf, is part of a programme initiated by the Director of Narcotics Investigation at Polda Kaltim, Senior Commissioner Romylus Tamtelahitu. They will undergo a week-long orientation period within the administrative staff and operational development environment of Ditresnarkoba before being directly assigned to support programmes under the coordination of the Narcotics Director. Senior Commissioner Romylus Tamtelahitu explained on Monday (6/7) that the programme is part of a new work culture within Ditresnarkoba Polda Kaltim that prioritises the principles of equality and collaboration with all levels of society, including persons with disabilities. “The Mitra Inklusi Reserse Bhayangkara programme was launched with the spirit of ‘Embracing All, Protecting Together’. We want to ensure that persons with disabilities have equal space to contribute to drug abuse prevention efforts and become part of the partnership with the Indonesian National Police,” Romylus said. According to him, the presence of persons with disabilities in the programme is not merely a symbol of involvement but is part of a strategy to build a more inclusive and friendly police service for all community groups. Through this programme, Ditresnarkoba Polda Kaltim will establish a Mitra Inklusi Reserse Bhayangkara community involving disabled persons’ organisations in various educational activities, socialisation, and anti-drug campaigns. Additionally, programme participants will receive training on the dangers of drugs, reporting mechanisms, and legal literacy so they can become partners of the police in conveying information to the public. Ditresnarkoba will also develop various educational media that are more accessible, such as sign language materials, Braille, audio, and digital content that is friendly to persons with disabilities. “We want to build public trust that every citizen, regardless of their physical condition, has the same opportunity to participate in maintaining public safety and security from the threat of drugs,” Romylus stated. He added that dialogue forums with disabled persons’ organisations will also be held regularly to gather aspirations and evaluate police services to make them more inclusive. According to Romylus, the involvement of persons with disabilities is expected to expand the reach of drug prevention education while increasing community participation in maintaining security and order. “With this collaboration, we hope the implementation of the Polri Presisi concept becomes more tangible through services that are humane, equitable, and able to reach all levels of society,” he concluded.