Police reforms should begin in earnest now: Retired generals
JAKARTA (JP): Following the formal separation of police from the Armed Forces, former senior police officers said the work was only just beginning to gain true independence for the police and reeducate the force's personnel.
Gen. (ret) Awaloeddin Djamin: the former National Police chief said he has long been an advocate of an independent police force, as a result, the force was seen to have a greater amount of autonomy during his five-year tenure from 1978 to 1982.
"I think the police force deserves to be treated fairly. It needs greater autonomy to increase its professionalism."
He said it was high time for police, who are supposed to be the country's pillars of law enforcement, to show the public they can be fairer and more effective in upholding justice.
Awaloeddin said the police force could now develop its own policies, while still coordinating with other Armed Forces (ABRI) elements to safeguard the nation.
"It's a new era. Police have to learn from scratch how to know their own strength and stand straight, without any interference, among the other security elements," he said, after a ceremony marking the separation of police from ABRI at National Police Headquarters.
In serving the public, Awaloeddin reminded the police force to reform its appearance to be more "friendly and not like ABRI".
Gen. (ret) M. Sanusi: Awaloeddin's successor, Gen. (ret) M. Sanusi said appearance changes were needed, but reforms of the force's official attitude and philosophy, based on the Tribrata doctrine, were most needed.
The three-point doctrine among others says police should be models of dedication to the state, and are obliged to ensure public order. Police are also told their duty includes "eliminating enemies of the state and society".
"I know it is not easy to interpret the Tribrata teachings now that police are separate from ABRI," Sanusi said. The principle of serving the public needs to be repeatedly pushed to police of all ranks, he said.
He said it may take two or three years before police can be truly independent.
Maj. Gen. (ret) Koesparmono Irsan, a former police officer: He suggests that the police force should first go through a thorough introspection process to discover strong points and weaknesses that need to be improved.
"With the current reform era, I think police can see that they are not too late to totally reform their reputation ... (in) public service."
Being responsive to public reports and fairer in treating people would be the key to win people's hearts, he said.
"We all have been occupied by scenes of riots in which police act like combat troops, beating and torturing unarmed people." Police need to "acknowledge the misleading images and prepare better images ahead," he said.
History
The National Police has not always been a part of the Armed Forces. On July 1, 1946, the police, then under the supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs, was handed over to the prime minister.
That date became National Police Day.
In 1949, the police were placed under the supervision of the Minister of Defense to prepare for the transfer of sovereignty from the Dutch.
The prime minister regained control in 1950, after Indonesia broke its agreement with the Dutch to establish a federal state in the archipelago.
Integration into the military began with the first Police Law, enacted in 1961. It was the result of historical ties between the police and the Armed Forces built up during the fight against Dutch colonialism.
However, the law stated that police were not a military force. It obliged police to carry out law enforcement as a civilian institution and entitled them the same treatment as civil servants in terms of career planning and salaries.
Former police chiefs have said police were integrated into the Armed Forces in 1961 for practical reasons, particularly because the police were armed.
They also said the Armed Forces maintained its control over the police under the New Order government because of fears that communists would attempt to separate the forces. (emf)