Testimony on the Extraordinary Performance of the Central Aceh Police Chief During the Sumatra Disaster

The Central Aceh Police Chief, AKBP Muhammad Taufiq, is regarded as an exemplary police figure whose leadership serves as a model. He is evaluated as a police officer who serves the community wholeheartedly and is communicative.

Due to his attitude, AKBP Taufiq has been proposed as a candidate for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards by the Regent of Central Aceh, Haili Yoga. He appreciates AKBP Taufiq’s attitudes during his leadership of the Central Aceh Police Resort and their collaboration.

“Indeed, we have met for several months from the beginning, and I have observed his attitude, especially his personality in serving the community. This is his feeling that the task is a personal service,” said Haili to detikcom on Thursday (26/2/2026).

“So I think he is already a patriot in serving, a leader who serves the community. He feels that the community has become his responsibility, and this is what we have felt during our interactions over the past several months since he was assigned to Central Aceh,” he added.

Haili mentioned the Rabu Berkah and Jumat Berkah programmes run by AKBP Taufiq. According to him, these two programmes are proof of AKBP Taufiq’s total commitment in approaching and serving the community.

“From a performance perspective, it is already excellent, so the Police Chief attends the mosque with the community. Then there is the assistance programme to the community in Jumat Berkah,” said Haili.

He then touched on the role of the Central Aceh Police Resort under AKBP Taufiq’s command during the disaster response some time ago. Haili praised AKBP Taufiq for moving quickly and responsively to penetrate isolated areas to deliver aid to affected communities.

“Wow, this is extraordinary. Even during the disaster in areas that could not yet be passed, he along with his members delivered aid to several points that could not be traversed, even leaving in the morning and returning the next morning,” said Haili.

“That was done by him and very aggressively, very caring towards the community’s needs post-flood and landslide disaster. So, at several points that could not be passed, he was present and the community was greatly helped by the police’s performance,” he added.

Haili described AKBP Taufiq as a communicative police figure. In maintaining security and public order (kamtibmas) in his area, AKBP Taufiq is said to be very adaptive and proactive in prioritising prevention.

“This is felt, we from all regional apparatus work units have easy coordination and it is always welcomed, whenever we call, everyone is ready? Then this from the friendliness, perhaps this is his personal trait, whatever it is called, our coordination has nothing difficult,” he said.

During their collaboration, Haili has never heard anything negative from AKBP Taufiq regarding case handling at the Central Aceh Police Resort. In fact, he said, AKBP Taufiq often coordinates with him if there are prominent issues in the area.

“We communicate with him ‘Sir, perhaps if there is a problem that you handle that is not too serious, it should be handled with customary law alone’. ‘Oh, alright, Regent, it will be directly handled by the community or the village elders’. So, not all problem handling has to be at the Police Resort and this is agreed by him,” he said.

AKBP M Taufiq’s Explanation

Contacted separately, AKBP M Taufiq responded regarding his nomination for the 2026 Hoegeng Awards. He admitted he does not have high expectations, because what is most important to him is doing good work to serve the community.

“The important thing is I just work, be friends with all the community, can enjoy coffee casually with all the community, right, it’s nice to have many friends,” said AKBP Taufiq.

AKBP Taufiq explained about the Jumat Berkah and Rabu Berkah programmes that he routinely carries out in Central Aceh. According to him, the Jumat Berkah programme is an activity of distributing basic food aid every Friday while listening to community complaints.

Meanwhile, the Rabu Berkah programme is a dawn safari activity aimed at delivering kamtibmas messages to the Central Aceh community. Both programmes are carried out as efforts to prevent disruptions to kamtibmas in the Central Aceh jurisdiction.

“Actually, that programme is essentially for maintaining kamtibmas in our jurisdiction, we prioritise activities that are preventive, humane, and closer to the community,” he said.

According to AKBP Taufiq, these two activities have become icons of the Central Aceh Police Resort during his tenure as Police Chief. In implementing these two programmes, he often invites his members and figures in Central Aceh to jointly approach the community. Not infrequently, he has to use his own pocket money for these programmes.

Regarding law enforcement at the Central Aceh Police Resort, AKBP Taufiq stated that they handle every case adaptively. Because, he said, the Central Aceh community still adheres strongly to customs and traditions. So problems can be resolved through mediation or processed criminally at the police station.

“We once discussed with several village heads, police station chiefs, military district commanders, and also figures. We have, meaning, agreed or opined that problems that occur, to make a police report or bring it to the legal realm, this is the very last alternative,” said AKBP Taufiq.

“If it can be resolved at the village level, we sit with both conflicting parties, there is police, there are religious figures, local customary figures, we resolve it through restorative justice mediation, it can be settled, we open space to resolve it that way,” he added.

AKBP Taufiq assured that cases resolved through mediation are those of a minor nature. He will not tolerate serious cases being settled peacefully.

“Like perhaps assaults that are not too severe, disputes, minor thefts or perhaps the parties are no longer objecting, we can settle at the mediation level. If they are serious ones, yes, we definitely handle through the legal route,” he emphasised.

Furthermore, AKBP Taufiq recounted regarding the