Legal Expert Criticises West Java Police for Allowing Citizens to Catch Muggers 'As Long as They Don't Die'

A criminal law expert has criticised a statement by the West Java Police’s Head of Public Relations, Hendra Rochmawan, who permitted residents to catch muggers as long as they are not killed, describing it as a sign of panic. He argued that law enforcement officials should make legally measured statements. “If the police, law enforcement officers, say something like that (allowing citizens to catch muggers as long as they don’t die), it is actually a sign of panic by the officers,” said the Deputy Chairman of the Bandung branch of the Indonesian Advocates Association (Peradi), Ramsen Marpaung, on Thursday (23/7/2026). He stated that such a statement should only be made by members of the public who are not legally trained. For law enforcement officers, any statement should be measured according to the law. “Because it can be misinterpreted by the public. How can we have a measure for assaulting someone as we please but ensuring they don’t die? That is very difficult,” he said. He noted that a suspected mugger could be hit two or three times and suffer no ill effects. However, what if they are hit just once in a vital area and then die? “So how can the public be given bait that I think is wrong, that they are allowed to assault, allowed to hit, as long as they don’t die? The grades are: light, heavy, very heavy, near death. This is dangerous. Near death means not dead. This is dangerous. In my opinion, it is wrong,” he said.