Riau Police Chief Inspects Forest and Land Fires in Dumai, Emphasises Law Enforcement and Prevention
Riau Police Chief Irjen Herry Heryawan directly visited the site of a forest and land fire (karhutla) in the Dumai City area. He emphasised the police force’s commitment to ensuring readiness and a swift response to potential ecological disasters that frequently occur during the dry season.
Irjen Herry’s presence formed part of concrete measures to strengthen karhutla control in Riau Province. During the inspection, the Riau Police Chief highlighted the importance of cross-sectoral synergy in efforts to prevent and address karhutla.
During the activity, the Riau Police Chief was accompanied by several main officials from the Riau Regional Police, including the Internal Affairs Inspector of the Riau Regional Police Kombes Prabowo Santoso, the Head of Criminal Investigation of the Riau Regional Police Kombes Ade Kuncoro Ridwan, and other technical units. The entourage was welcomed by members of the Dumai City Regional Leadership Coordination Forum, including Deputy Mayor of Dumai Sugiarto, Dumai Police Chief Angga Febrian Herlambang, and Commander of the 0320 Dumai Military District Herman Santoso.
The Riau Police Chief and entourage arrived at the karhutla location in the area around Althaf Regency Housing, Jalan Arifin Ahmad, Tanjung Palas Ward, Dumai Timur Subdistrict, at 12:06 WIB. At the site, the group directly inspected the affected land area while receiving a field situation briefing from local government representatives, attended by Dumai Mayor Paisal.
The Riau Police Chief affirmed that preventive measures must be the top priority, through integrated patrols, public education, and firm law enforcement against land burning perpetrators.
“Handling karhutla cannot be done partially. Collaboration is needed between the TNI-Polri, local government, and active community participation so that fire potential can be minimised from the outset,” emphasised the Riau Police Chief in his field instructions.
After the inspection, at around 12:45 WIB, the Riau Police Chief’s entourage left the location for Pinang Kampai Airport in Dumai. Subsequently, at 12:55 WIB, the Riau Police Chief and entourage departed for Rupat Island to continue the inspection agenda in another area also prone to karhutla risks.
The entire series of activities concluded around 13:00 WIB in a safe, orderly, and conducive situation. This activity also served as direct supervision by leadership over the readiness of field units in facing karhutla threats, while strengthening collective commitment to preserving the environment in Riau Province.