Following Panipahan Unrest, Riau Police Chief Apologises and Urges Restoration of Public Trust
Rokan Hilir, VIVA – Following the unrest that occurred in Panipahan, Riau Police Chief, Inspector General of Police Herry Heryawan, directly visited the community. This step was taken as an effort to calm the situation while restoring public trust in the police force.
The visit took place after a series of anti-drug ambassador inauguration activities in Pekanbaru. The Police Chief, along with his staff, headed straight to Panipahan, Pasir Limau Kapas Subdistrict, on Thursday, 16 April 2026.
The Police Chief’s presence was accompanied by Commander of the 031/Wira Bima Brigade, Brigadier General Agustatius Sitepu, Riau Provincial Secretary Syahrial Abdi, and key officials from the Riau Police Headquarters. The entourage was welcomed by the Regent of Rokan Hilir, Bistamam, Rokan Hilir Police Chief AKBP Isa Imam Syahroni, as well as local community, customary, and religious leaders.
At the location, the Police Chief held an open dialogue with the community. The forum provided a space for residents to voice their aspirations as well as reflect on the previous incident.
On that occasion, the Police Chief openly expressed an apology to the Panipahan community.
“Personally and as the Riau Police Chief, I extend my deepest apologies to the entire Panipahan community. We also convey our profound regret over the incident that occurred some time ago,” said Irjen Herry.
He acknowledged that the event serves as a serious evaluation for the National Police institution, particularly in meeting public expectations regarding drug handling.
“We realise that what happened is inseparable from public dissatisfaction. This becomes an evaluation for us that there are still shortcomings in carrying out duties in the field,” he said.
According to him, the Panipahan incident must be turned into a momentum for change in building better relations between the apparatus and the community.
“This incident is a wake-up call for us. A stark reminder that we must truly be present among the community, listen, understand, and follow up on every problem in a concrete manner,” said the 1996 Police Academy graduate.
The Police Chief also highlighted the importance of open communication as the primary solution. He assessed that so far, a strong relationship between the apparatus and the community in the field has not been established.
As a concrete step, the Riau Police have conducted a comprehensive evaluation of personnel serving in the area, including the replacement of several members.