Riau Police Chief Inaugurates 5 Resilient Villages to Combat Drugs at the Village Level
The Riau Regional Police (Polda Riau) has reaffirmed its commitment to eradicating all forms of drug abuse in its jurisdiction. In addition to law enforcement efforts from upstream to downstream, Polda Riau is intensively conducting education and outreach on the dangers of drugs to all elements of society.
Riau Police Chief, Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan, emphasised that handling narcotics can no longer focus solely on downstream law enforcement (arrests). Education is also necessary to safeguard society from all forms of drug abuse.
As part of a community-based prevention strategy, Polda Riau has designated five areas as pilot Resilient Anti-Drug Villages, namely the Panipahan Resilient Anti-Drug Village in Pasir Limau Kapas Subdistrict, Rokan Hilir Regency (Rohil); Kampung Dalam in Senapelan Subdistrict, Pekanbaru City; Empang Pandan Village in Koto Gasib Subdistrict, Siak Regency; Laksamana Ward in Dumai Kota Subdistrict, Dumai City; and Jangkang Village in Bantan Subdistrict, Bengkalis Regency.
“These resilient villages are our way of strengthening grassroots communities. This task is not just the police’s duty, but a collective responsibility for all of us to map and assess social potentials,” said Irjen Pol Herry Heryawan at Polda Riau Headquarters in Pekanbaru City on Thursday (16/4/2026).
In his speech, the Riau Police Chief alluded to the recent unrest and community aspirations regarding drugs in Panipahan, Rokan Hilir. He described the incident as a stark warning (wake-up call) not only for the police but also for other agencies and the government.
On the other hand, the Akpol 96 graduate also expressed his appreciation to the women in Panipahan who dared to speak out. Based on post-conflict assessments, it was revealed that many families have been destroyed by drugs, including fishermen trapped in the myth that drugs can enhance strength at sea.
“The Panipahan incident is a wake-up call not just for the police chief, but for me, the Danrem, BNNP, Customs, and the regional government. We conducted assessments, and it turned out there was a lack of police and government touch there,” said Irjen Herry.
Major Rotation
As a concrete action, the Police Chief conducted a comprehensive internal evaluation. He carried out a clean-up by rotating dozens of personnel.
“I replaced 28 personnel there. Only those not identified as colluding with networks remained. Before the roll call, I had the new personnel undergo urine tests in front of the public,” he asserted.
Furthermore, Irjen Herry Heryawan stated that his side is not standing idle in the war against drugs. He outlined Polda Riau’s achievements from 2025-2026, uncovering 3,827 cases with 3,417 suspects.
From the seized evidence, the police have saved approximately 5.3 million people from the dangers of addiction. However, Irjen Herry reminded that high arrest numbers are not the sole measure of success, given that Indonesia is no longer just a drug transit point but has become a drug market.
“Indonesia is no longer merely a transit place, but has become a market state. If we only focus downstream, the problem won’t be solved,” he concluded.