Observer: No Need for New Law, Kompolnas Strengthened in Police Bill
Senior political analyst Boni Hargens has firmly stated that the Third Amendment to Law Number 2 of 2002 on the Indonesian National Police (the New Police Bill) is a strategic decision to strengthen the existence of the National Police to be more professional, clean, transparent, and adaptive. One of the points highlighted by Boni Hargens in the new Police Bill is the strengthening of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) as a credible and empowered civilian oversight instrument.
According to Boni, it is no longer relevant to draft a new law regarding Kompolnas because the strengthening of the commission has been accommodated in the new Police Bill.
‘Integrating the strengthening of Kompolnas into the existing Police Law is far more effective legislatively and institutionally. Creating a new law from scratch would take a very long time, open unproductive debates, and potentially create a temporary legal vacuum,’ said Boni on Sunday (14/6/2026).
Boni assessed that the strengthening of Kompolnas within the new Police Bill has been able to answer urgent needs without shaking the existing legal foundation. Moreover, he said, strengthening Kompolnas is one of the pillars for reinforcing the police force.
‘One of the three pillars of strengthening the police force is strong civilian oversight. Kompolnas is given broader and tangible authority to oversee performance, recruitment, and promotions within the Police force, ensuring accountability to the public,’ he explained.
The second pillar of police strengthening, according to Boni, is the effectiveness of law enforcement. Boni Hargens considers that a police force under strict supervision will actually be more professional, clean, and effective in carrying out law enforcement duties in the field.
‘The third pillar is the guardian of security and order. The main mission of the National Police as the guardian of public security and order will become stronger with the support of a modern legal framework and strong legitimacy,’ said Boni Hargens.
Furthermore, Boni assessed that the new Police Bill, including the strengthening of Kompolnas within it, will facilitate the realization of a fundamental restoration within the police force, as championed by National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo. According to Boni, the National Police currently needs restoration, as is being carried out by the Police Chief, not just reform.
‘What the National Police needs is what Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo is championing, namely fundamental restoration in order to return the National Police to its true identity as a genuine servant and protector of the community, in order to strengthen Indonesian democracy and support efforts to welcome the golden era in 2045,’ he clarified.
Boni said the choice of the word ‘restoration’ is not mere rhetoric. Restoration, he said, contains a deeper and more substantive meaning than ordinary reform. Restoration means returning the National Police to its basic values as an institution that works for the interests of the people, not the interests of specific groups or individuals.
‘This means rebuilding public trust that may have been eroded, strengthening integrity from the lowest to the highest levels, and ensuring that every Police member truly understands that their legitimacy stems from public trust. This is precisely the basic spirit of the Precision paradigm built and run by the police under the leadership of Police Chief Listyo Sigit so far,’ said Boni.
Further, Boni Hargens said restoration also means that improvements must not only occur on the surface, whether in the form of uniform changes, new slogans, or mere structural reorganization. According to him, restoration must touch the culture, mentality, and incentive system within the Police force comprehensively.
‘I observe that the current new Police Bill is heading towards that goal, a restoration of the National Police, not just reform,’ concluded Boni.