Reform Commission Recommendations: Police Prioritise De-escalation in Handling Protests

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Commission for Accelerating Police Reform (KPRP) recommends that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) prioritise peaceful efforts in handling protest participants.

KPRP Secretary, retired Police General Ahmad Dofiri, stated that this proposal is part of the Maintenance of Community Security and Order (Harkamtibmas) by Polri.

“In the field of Harkamtibmas, for example, how the deployment of forces in the field, our patrols, traffic management on the roads, including how we handle protest management,” Dofiri said during a press conference in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Wednesday (6/5/2026).

“Moving forward, it is regulated here that de-escalation must be prioritised,” he added.

The approach to protesters also needs to be changed, from previously viewing them as opponents to citizens who must be served.

In the field of law enforcement, KPRP highlighted the handling of public reports, which is still considered slow and lacking in transparency.

From the receipt of police reports to the investigation process, delays often occur (undue delay), so that the reporter does not know the progress of their case.

“The recommendation here is that from the examination stage onwards, it must be supported by technology, there must be CCTV, there must be video recordings, so that there is a record,” he emphasised.

“Investigations must be directed towards that. So that the public can access it directly. One day, if this is implemented, where has my case progressed? Oh, approximately, the investigator has worked up to where? Something like that,” he stressed.

“So, the delay earlier means eliminating cases that then don’t know when they will be resolved and so on,” he added.