Public Urged to Shed Negative Prejudice Against Police, Analyst Explains

Senior Political Analyst Boni Hargens has urged the public to shed negative prejudice against the Indonesian National Police (Polri) being allowed to occupy civilian positions within government agencies and related ministries. He stated that this provision specifically targets positions deemed to require human resources from the police institution, both in terms of technical competence and institutional aspects.

This was conveyed by Boni Hargens in response to a wave of rejection from the Civil Society Coalition for Police Reform over the revised Police Law, particularly Article 28A, which opens space for active Polri personnel to occupy civilian posts based on discretionary requests from the President or interested ministries or agencies.

“If police personnel are indeed more competent for certain positions in the civilian realm, the involvement of Polri in civilian posts is a natural and legitimate necessity. We need not be overly prejudiced against the Polri institution. Moreover, Polri, as part of civil society, also has a responsibility to strengthen civilian democracy,” Boni Hargens told reporters on Saturday, 20 June 2026.

Boni affirmed his confidence in Polri’s commitment to improving the performance and culture of the police institution, especially in carrying out its functional duties as the guardian of public order and security. Boni specifically referred to a statement by National Police Chief Listyo Sigit Prabowo, who stressed that the provision for Polri involvement in state civil apparatus positions is not coercive, but is entirely based on real needs and concrete requests from the relevant agencies or ministries.

“The National Police Chief’s argument demonstrates Polri’s commitment to maintaining and respecting democratic culture within the framework of the Indonesian rule of law,” he asserted.

Boni Hargens assessed that there are three conditions that need to be considered in implementing the provision for Polri to occupy civilian posts. First, he said, is technical competence. Boni Hargens considers competence-based placement to be natural and legitimate if Polri personnel indeed possess relevant expertise for a specific position in a civilian environment.

“Second, it must be non-coercive in nature. A request-based mechanism, rather than forced placement, is considered adequate protection against the dominance of the police institution over the civilian bureaucracy,” Boni emphasised.

The third condition, according to Boni Hargens, is that the implementation of this provision is carried out within the context of civilian responsibility.