National Police Chief Vows No Arbitrary Placement of Officers in Civilian Posts

National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo has explained that the placement of Indonesian National Police members outside the police structure must still go through a rigorous mechanism. According to him, there are a number of requirements that must be met before a police member can hold a position in another ministry or institution. ‘In principle, the National Police has rules regarding the placement of officers outside its structure. The requirement is that there must be a request from the ministry that wants a police member,’ Listyo said during a press conference following the ratification of the Police Law at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday. Furthermore, he said, such placements must also obtain approval from the relevant agencies and be conducted through an open selection mechanism. ‘Secondly, it must also go through the approval of the relevant ministry, in this case the Ministry of State Apparatus and Bureaucratic Reform, and must follow open bidding or a merit system,’ Listyo stated. He asserted that the National Police cannot unilaterally place its personnel in other institutions without going through the established procedures. ‘So the National Police cannot just directly assign someone; that process must be followed, so it is not arbitrary. Therefore, if there is no request, the National Police will not send anyone,’ Listyo said. According to him, the police force has a duty to support the strategic policy programmes of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, particularly regarding food self-sufficiency. In that field, the president has tasked the police with participating in planting maize. ‘I think, briefly, we see that we have duties to support strategic programmes and policies for the national interest. I believe food self-sufficiency, especially in the current situation, is of course a concern for the President,’ Listyo remarked. Upon receiving such an assignment, Listyo said, the National Police certainly helps the government to be independent in the food sector. Thus, in the future, Indonesia will no longer import foodstuffs from abroad. ‘How he wants to eliminate dependence on imports and how in the future Indonesia can be self-reliant, then be able to realise what the needs of the community are to make the food self-sufficiency programme a success. And I believe the President wants the National Police to be involved in such matters, related to strategic things and for the national interest,’ Listyo explained. The government and the National Police’s assertion of non-arbitrary placement comes as the newly revised Police Law opens up opportunities for active police personnel to be assigned to a number of specific bodies and ministries.