ISESS: Police Reform Acceleration Commission's Recommendations Fail to Address Root Problems
Police observer from the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS), Bambang Rukminto, assesses that the recommendations submitted by the Police Reform Acceleration Commission (KPRP) to President Prabowo Subianto are inclined towards moderation. In other words, the focus tends to be on institutional governance arrangements rather than fundamental changes to the power structure within the Bhayangkara Corps.
“The recommendations of the Police Reform Acceleration Commission, when viewed critically, essentially operate along the lines of moderate reform. Their direction more reflects a reorganisation of governance rather than changes to the power structure,” stated Bambang Rukminto on Wednesday (6/5/2026).
He spotlighted one recommendation regarding the strengthening of the National Police Commission or Kompolnas. According to Bambang, the effectiveness of strengthening this external oversight body heavily depends on its institutional design.
“Without concrete independence, it risks becoming merely a formal channel to dampen criticism, rather than an effective control instrument,” he said.
Bambang also assessed that limiting the term of office of the Indonesian National Police Chief (Kapolri) does indeed show a positive aspect in preventing the concentration of personal power. However, this step is deemed not to touch the fundamental problems within the police force.
“This step does not automatically address deeper problems, namely organisational culture, patronage patterns, and a still highly vertical power orientation,” he stated.
“Without reform in the career system, promotions, and internal accountability mechanisms, term limits have the potential to become an administrative solution with limited impact,” Bambang added.
He also highlighted one of the KPRP’s recommendations that affirms Polri’s position remains under the president, rather than under a ministry or becoming a new ministry. This indicates that the consolidation of power in the executive realm towards the Bhayangkara Corps is increasingly strong.
“This does indeed provide clarity of command, but at the same time strengthens the executive-centric policing character with minimal external checks and balances,” he said.
Overall, Bambang assesses that the biggest challenge of the current Polri reform is to ensure institutional effectiveness without sacrificing accountability aspects. He reminds that the public has long been troubled by issues of Polri’s utilisation for power politics, such as the ‘parcok’ issue, as well as Polri’s multifunctionality outside the structure following the Constitutional Court’s decision.
Without more fundamental improvements, Bambang firmly states, the reform offered by KPRP has the potential to stop at mere technocratic adjustments.
“In other words, the recommendations only offer a new consensus on power hegemony,” he concluded.