West Java Police Chief Warns Against Vigilantism Amid Governor's 'Begal' Bounty

West Java Police Chief Inspector General Pipit Rismanto has expressed support for a bounty programme initiated by Governor Dedi Mulyadi aimed at encouraging residents to help catch street criminals, while warning the public not to take the law into their own hands. ‘We welcome it. This shows that the Governor wants to motivate all citizens to participate in maintaining public security and order,’ Pipit said after attending a waste sorting declaration event in Bandung on Friday. He expressed hope that the bounty would curb the current trend of people prioritising recording or making viral videos of emergency incidents rather than providing real assistance. Pipit stressed, however, that law enforcement against crimes such as robbery remains the responsibility and duty of the police. The Governor has suggested that unemployed residents could join neighbourhood watch patrols, and if they catch a criminal and hand them over to the police, the police would report their assistance to the Governor, who would then provide a bonus. Regarding crime data, the West Java Police recorded an average clearance rate of 65 percent for robbery cases last year, and Pipit said he is optimistic this figure can be improved this year. Governor Dedi Mulyadi has offered cash rewards ranging from Rp5 million to Rp50 million for residents who successfully apprehend criminals and hand them over to the authorities. Addressing concerns that the scheme might encourage mob justice, Dedi assured that the reward mechanism has strict requirements to prevent misuse. He emphasised that rewards will only be given once a suspect has been legally processed by the police, and that suspects must be handed over in a reasonable condition without serious injuries. ‘If they are badly beaten, it is not allowed. A minor scratch might be acceptable, but if they are battered, we will not give the reward,’ he stated.