Bunyu Police Will Be Diverted To The Jurisdiction Of The Tarakan Police, Consideration Of Distance And Effectiveness Of Security As The Basis

North Kalimantan Regional Police (Polda Kaltara)

TARAKAN North Kalimantan Regional Police (Polda Kaltara) is preparing strategic steps in restructuring the jurisdiction of the police. One of them is the discourse on transferring the Bunyu Police from the Bulungan Police jurisdiction to the Tarakan Police.

This plan is currently still under staff review by the Bulungan Police together with a team from the Kaltara Police, involving the Tarakan Regional Government and Bulungan for field studies.

Bulungan Police Chief Kombes Rofiko Yunianto, confirmed the plan. This step is purely for the efficiency and effectiveness of police services in the field, considering that Bunyu Island is geographically closer to Tarakan than to Bulungan.

"Yes, indeed such a plan is underway. It is still the progress of staff from the Polresta and the Polda team. The consideration is because it is too far if you have to go to Bulungan," said Kombes Rofikoh when confirmed, Saturday (18/10/2025).

According to him, geographical closeness is the main factor that makes this proposal logical. From an operational perspective, the Tarakan Police will be faster to back-up personnel and logistics in the event of a prominent situation on Bunyu Island.

"Let's make it easy in terms of back-ups if there are prominent events. It's closer to Tarakan," he explained.

Kombes Rofikoh added that similar patterns have been applied in a number of areas in Indonesia such as South Kalimantan, Southeast Sulawesi to Bekasi, where certain areas have been transferred to closer jurisdictions geographically, although different administratively.

"There are many examples. In South Kalimantan, Southeast Sulawesi, to Bekasi, they should have entered the West Java Regional Police, but they were put in Polda Metro because of efficiency and distance considerations," said Rofikoh.

The Police Chief emphasized that this process is still long and will go through various stages of analysis, including field surveys and cross-agency coordination.

"It's still a long time, it can take one to two years. Now it's just the staff review stage. Later it will be surveyed, and the team will involve the local government from both parties, both Tarakan and Bulungan," he said.

He also admitted that this decision was not an easy matter. Organizationally, the transfer of the Polsek means a reduced area unit under the Bulungan Police. However, according to him, the interests of public services must be a top priority.

"Actually, I also don't want the police to be reduced, but because of various considerations, we have to be willing. What will change later is only the status of the jurisdiction," said Rofikoh.

Rofikoh said that the Bunyu Police currently has around 18 personnel including the Kapolsek, even though ideally the number is around 30 personnel. Geographical conditions that are quite far make operational supervision and support from the Bulungan Police require more time and cost.

"For SIM, it can be done at all Polres. So community services will continue as usual, so they will not be influenced by changes in the jurisdiction," he concluded.