Police Command Requests Increased Budget for Community Policing and Patrol Vessel Fuel
Jakarta – The Head of the National Police Security Affairs Command (Baharkam), Police General Karyoto, has requested increased budgetary allocations for the operational expenses of the Community Security and Order Development programme (Bhabinkamtibmas) and fuel for patrol vessels operated by the Police Marine Corps.
The budget increase request was presented as a recommendation stemming from Baharkam’s performance assessment during a parliamentary hearing conducted by Commission III of the House of Representatives at the parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday.
“There is a need to increase transportation infrastructure, particularly in remote and disadvantaged regions (3T areas), as well as enhance operational budget support for Bhabinkamtibmas, which currently stands at approximately Rp1.43 million per month, calculated at Rp65,000 daily multiplied by 22 working days,” Karyoto stated.
Karyoto explained that the daily operational funds for Bhabinkamtibmas personnel, currently set at Rp65,000, cover meal allowances, fuel, office supplies, and communication resources. He argued that a policy increase was essential for operational effectiveness. “The proposal is to raise this to Rp3.3 million per month, calculated at Rp150,000 daily multiplied by 22 days, which would cover meal allowances, fuel, communication resources, outreach programme expenses, and mobile data credit,” he detailed.
Additionally, Karyoto identified staff shortages as a significant operational challenge. He emphasised that despite being a longstanding issue, personnel deficiencies continue to hinder Baharkam’s effectiveness. Going forward, Baharkam will prioritise community development functions through achieving the target of one community police officer per village or municipality, whilst simultaneously improving personnel quality.
“In the short term, our focus is not only on quantity but also on enhancing personnel quality, ensuring that all police officers embody the values of a professional, community-oriented police service,” he said.
Budget strengthening for vessel maintenance and repair is also required to ensure optimal operational readiness of the marine fleet. “These recommendations are expected to strengthen Baharkam’s operational capacity in maintaining public security and order more effectively and sustainably,” Karyoto added.
According to him, fuel limitations represent a critical constraint for the marine police division, as vessels require substantial fuel quantities. Current budget restrictions prevent patrols from operating at maximum intensity. Beyond increased operational budgets for Bhabinkamtibmas and patrol vessel fuel, Baharkam has also prioritised the recruitment of additional handlers and paramedics for police working animals to support field operations.
“You witnessed firsthand how hard our police dogs work at disaster sites searching for missing persons,” Karyoto remarked.
The parliamentary session concluded with Commission III expressing support for Baharkam’s priority programmes for the 2026 fiscal year as the framework for task implementation in maintaining public security and order.