Observer Says Polri Presisi Becomes the Backbone of Democracy

The momentum of Bhayangkara Day, commemorated on Wednesday, 1 July 2026, serves as an important foundation for reflecting on the role of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) in safeguarding the national legal system and democratic ecosystem. Sustainable multidimensional reform is considered a functional prerequisite for maintaining the quality of a healthy democracy in Indonesia. Political and legal analyst Boni Hargens explained that the police transformation through the ‘Polri Presisi’ (Predictive, Responsibility, Transparency with Justice) vision, initiated by National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, has shifted the paradigm from a militaristic past to a democratic civilian police force. ‘The normative expectation of Polri is certainly not merely a moral demand, but a functional prerequisite for the continuity of a quality democracy. The ongoing Polri reform agenda reflects multidimensional changes that simultaneously touch upon structural, cultural, and human resource capacity aspects,’ Boni said in a statement on Wednesday (1/1/2026). Boni elaborated that the Polri Presisi blueprint plays a crucial role as the moral and operational compass for the brown-uniformed corps through three main integrated pillars. Its implementation begins with the predictive aspect, which changes the reactive tactical approach to one based on intelligence and data analysis by utilising information technology (smart policing) to anticipate potential security disturbances before escalation spreads. Furthermore, the responsibility aspect demands accountability for every action of officers in terms of law, professional ethics, and public morals, including the courage to take action against internal organisational violations. Finally, the aspect of transparency with justice exists to guarantee information openness, budget accountability, and public access to the law enforcement process in order to foster social trust. The Director of the Indonesian Voters Institute (LPI) further asserted that the parameter of Polri’s strength in a democratic system is not measured by how much the coercive instrument is feared by the public, but by the high degree of public trust. Therefore, the strengthening of community policing programmes at the regional level must be optimised through authentic dialogue spaces between officers and residents, the involvement of local communities in problem identification, and rapid complaint responses. ‘After all, police legitimacy is ultimately determined by public acceptance and trust. A strong Polri is not one that is feared, but one that is trusted, because public trust is the source of true authority in a democratic state,’ he concluded.