Our National Police

The Indonesian National Police (Polri) has passed a major milestone in its history. It is finding itself in the totally unfamiliar situation of having to change into a brand new organization as it turns 54 years old on Saturday. Caught in the grand process of democratic reform which is currently sweeping the country, it has had to shed its military image and turn itself into an effective, civilian-based law-enforcing apparatus.

Needless to say, that is not an easy task to accomplish for an organization that for more than 30 years has been designed to operate as part of the country's Armed Forces, not for the purpose of enforcing the law and protecting the public. It was designed to serve the interests of those in power.

How, one may ask, is Polri coping in this new situation?

In regard to organization, it must be said that Polri seems to be doing well in the process of trying to transform itself into a real police force which can be found in any democratic country in the world. As a force, it was separated from the military earlier during the year, though for the time being it remains under the supervision of the Ministry of Defense. And as of Saturday, the National Police will shed its military-style ranks and adopt new ones that are more in line with its new civilian status. More importantly, as far as the public is concerned though, is what all this means in regard to the functional operation of the police force.

Indonesians have long yearned to have a National Police force that is effective, and also honest, in protecting them against crime in any form. This, however, is a wish that is still far from being realized. The cases of vigilantism, which are exemplified by the burning and beating of alleged common criminals, can be seen as an expression of public impatience, or distrust, with the performance of the police. Complaints are still often heard about traffic police officers asking for money, for example, by falsely accusing motorists of violating traffic signs. In many cases, the police seem to be where they are not needed and absent where they are, such as during traffic jams, street brawls or crimes.

These, of course, are classic complaints and are not always justified. There are certainly many officers who conscientiously perform their duties, despite personal difficulties. This phenomenon, though, sheds light on one of the problems that the National Police is confronted with -- that of inadequate pay. This is a problem that the government and legislature can hopefully resolve in order to improve the performance of the National Police.

In short, one cannot emphasize enough the importance of having a capable and effective police force. Democracy can only thrive in societies where the law rules supreme. For this to be possible, the presence of a clean and effective police force is essential.

This leads us to one last note for this occasion: Given the role which the National Police necessarily plays in the process of democratization, it would be worthwhile to consider placing the force under the supervision of the minister of home affairs or the governors in the provinces. Placing the police under the supervision of the President could mean a return to the old system in which the National Police become an instrument for those who are in power. If that happens, all the efforts we have been making to put sovereignty back into the hands of the people will have been in vain.