Toward a better police force

A housewife complained that the officers at a police station in Surabaya, East Java, asked for Rp 5 million in "administration fees" when she requested to have the dossier of her teenage son -- who had been detained for several days over a traffic accident -- withdrawn.

The officers insisted that she pay the sum despite the fact that an amicable settlement had been reached between her son and the victim, whom he had hit in the accident. The woman managed to raise only Rp 4.5 million by selling the jewelry she was wearing that day and gave the money to the officers, who refused to give her a receipt and told her instead that she still owed them Rp 500,000.

This true account took place just days before the National Police are to observe its 57th anniversary, which falls on July 1 -- which should also be a good day for introspection by our police force.

This story tells of only one of the thousands of scandalous acts by the National Police that have become accepted as the norm, carried out by unscrupulous officers in this country where protection and service to the public remain expensive novelties.

National Police chief Gen. Da'i Bachtiar has promised that the police will strive to establish improved standards by providing the public with better services and greater protection.

It will not be easy to turn Gen. Da'i's pledge into reality, although it may sound very simple. It is a question of mentality and habit. The police will find it difficult to start a new culture to replace the old established one, which has been flourishing for decades.

Another problem with providing the public with appropriate service and proper protection is the prevailing police mind-set, which has become no more than rhetoric, due to, among other things, a shortage of personnel.

With around 200,000 police personnel nationwide, one police officer serves about 1 million people, assuming that Indonesia's population numbers about 200 million. According to UN standards, a single officer should be serving no more than 300 people.

The quality of the personnel is another problem. Successive recruitment systems, which have reportedly been very poor, have apparently resulted in inferior officers. It is no secret that bribery has always effectively served to smooth the way in police recruitment tests.

Determined to transform their militaristic image, the National Police have overhauled the curriculum at the non-commissioned officers (bintara) school, the Police Academy as well as the Institute of Police Officers.

Human rights and other subjects on social and cultural affairs have been adopted as obligatory in the academies, in the hope that the new officers will not only be more professional and stronger, but also more conscientious and compassionate.

In the future -- probably in two generations' time -- the nation expects to see tougher police officers who respect the rule-of-law. It is not impossible for the nation to have much better qualified police personnel.

The police have kicked off a reform movement within its ranks, the (initial) results of which we could enjoy and see, probably, in the handling of demonstrations. Police escorts are available to protesters taking to the streets, provided that they give official notification beforehand as to when and where the protest would be held and how many people were expected to join. In this way, the police can play a significant role in protecting both the protesters and the general public from possible chaos.

We acknowledge that our police are still far from being an ideal force. Heated situations have frequently provoked the anger of officers. At least, however, they are learning to do their best and therefore deserve our support.

Soon after their separation from the military (TNI), the police have received more foreign aid for educational programs to promote human rights and public order and security.

One thing the National Police should keep in mind, though, is that the public's demand for more qualified police officers must be properly responded to with sincerity and accountability. Only in this way can they regain the public trust, which has almost vanished after decades of abuse of power.

There is no other option for the police in conducting their daily duties amid Indonesia's diverse society, but to enhance their performance and to strengthen discipline among their ranks.

It is either now or never. The police must make an all-out effort to win the people's hearts. How they succeed in this will be the yardstick by which their role in the national reform movement will be measured.