Police image at lowest ebb, observers say

JAKARTA (JP): The National Police's credibility has further deteriorated with the allegations of police brutality that sparked the Tasikmalaya riot last week.

Even a former police chief joined others yesterday in describing the force's image as at its lowest ebb.

The police's image "has now gotten much worse than ever". Gen. (ret.) Kunarto, who headed the force from 1991-93, said.

"Never before in the New Order period has the police's image been like it is now," Kristiadi of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies said.

Satjipto Rahardjo, a law professor and member of the National Commission on Human Rights said "the National Police may proclaim to be a modern and professional force, but the reality in the field is far from that."

The Tasikmalaya riot came only a few days after the Center for Human Rights Studies released a damning report in December which said police committed most human rights violations.

Human rights organizations have also criticized the police's use of violence to extract confessions.

Although expressing some reservations about the report, Kunarto said the nature of police work might be why they top the list of violators.

Their close proximity to the people in their activities mean all their actions, including violations, are closely scrutinized by the public, he said. "Even minor violations get the spotlight, what if troopers commit violations?"

Police practices are still colored by practices of the Dutch colonial era when police's main duty was to suppress any activity the government deemed threatening, he said.

Weaknesses in the Criminal Code Procedures also contributed to police's poor image, this could be remedied if Indonesia quickly ratified many United Nations conventions on human rights, he said.

Kunarto denied experts's suggestions that the current National Police education system contributed to poor police performance.

The problem is more related to the implementation of what the officers have learned, such as what constitutes professionalism, effectiveness and efficiency, and ethics, he said.

The National Police leadership should be more open to criticism, he said.

Kristiadi said firm leadership and good education were the two keys to improving the image of the National Police.

"Only with good education and excellent leadership in the force can we get good cops," Kristiadi of the Center for Strategic and International Studies told The Jakarta Post.

Kristiadi said it was ironic the police, supposedly the people's protectors, should be branded the worst human rights violators.

Police officers are in the front line of law enforcers because they deal directly with the public, he said. This means they need to be able to dialog with the people, not abuse them, he added.

He dismissed the often-used argument that poor police performance stemmed from manpower shortages, with 175,000 officers having to serve almost 200 million people.

"With good service, even a small force could win respect from the people," Kristiadi said.

He said the bad reputation of the National Police reflects on all the law enforcement institutions, including the prosecution offices and the courts.

"Under the present conditions, it is hard for people to find justice, be it in the Supreme Court, prosecutor's offices, or the police," Kristiadi said. (08/har)