Harasser of Depok Fire Department Officer Accused of Helmet Content Not Police Member

DEPOK – Senior Police Auditor Kombes Pol Manang Soebeti of the Police Inspectorate’s General Supervision Unit (Itwasum) stated that the identity of the person who harassed Depok Fire Department officer Khairul Umam was not from the police force.

This statement also addressed public assumptions following the viral incident in which Khairul claimed to have received intimidation after uploading content explaining the function of safety helmets as personal protective equipment (PPE).

The content was subsequently interpreted and linked as an allusion to the death of a student following alleged assault by Brimob officers in Tual, Southeast Maluku.

Manang explained that this identification was confirmed through data obtained from the harasser’s WhatsApp phone number.

Based on the identifiable data uncovered, the harasser is a man named Wawan Gunawan, born around the 1980s, who works as a casual daily labourer.

According to the data, Wawan is unmarried and resides in Pangadangan Hamlet, Subang Regency, West Java.

According to Manang, Wawan’s actions were allegedly merely mischievous, as the intimidating messages were sent only one or two times. Moreover, the phone number was the easiest access point the playful harasser could utilise.

“This was not actually terrorism because it was only done once or twice. If it were terrorism, it would certainly be intensive, for example through spam or in-person visits,” Manang explained.

In the video, Khairul stated that helmets are designed to protect the head from impact, not to cause injury.

The content was subsequently interpreted by many as an allusion to the case of alleged violence by police officers that resulted in the death of a student following alleged beatings with a helmet.

After posting the content, Khairul received threatening messages sent through his personal WhatsApp chat. The sender initially claimed to be a fan, then asked Khairul to be careful and suggested he protect his safety, eventually directing him to “pay respects” to his parents.

“The sender said I should wear a helmet, protect my safety, and ask permission from my parents, that sort of thing,” Khairul said.

In another message, the sender wrote an intimidating statement.

“It was subtle, very subtle. Because at one point he also said, ‘wait, I have a surprise for you’,” Khairul revealed.

The content was previously linked to the case of alleged violence involving members of the Brimob Special Forces Unit of the National Police, in which a junior secondary student was reported to have died following alleged assault with a helmet.