Does The Police Follow Procedures Not To Prevent Abuse Of Power?

Police slam students (Source: Twitter screenshot)

JAKARTA - Viral video of police officers clashing with students demonstrating in Tangerang Regency, along with the hectic hashtag #PolisiSecepatProsdur on social media. Wearing a uniform designed to be closed, without any identification marks, the officers were seen slamming students down like a "smackdown" scene. This seems to abort the #PoliceAccordingProcedure narrative. Because, they could be said to have violated the procedure not to commit acts of abuse of power.

To coincide with the 389th anniversary of Tangerang Regency, the students who are members of Himata Banten held a demonstration. They want to convey their aspirations about various problems in the area which is divided into 29 sub-districts.

However, instead of having their aspirations heard, the students clashed with the police. In the viral video, the police and students can be seen arguing.

What made it so crowded was when a student, who was later identified as Faris, was seen being slammed like a smackdown scene by an officer on the sidewalk. In the 48-second video, a police officer suddenly smothers a protester and drags him out of the crowd.

Flood of criticism

This incident led to a flood of criticism. A member of Commission III of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Bukhori Yusuf, for example, condemned the brutal action of the police. He considered this act excessive and inhumane.

Bukhori said there were two violations committed by one of the police officers. First, violating the instructions of the National Police Chief to prioritize a humanist approach in maintaining the security situation and public order. "Second, the violation of the law for acts of violence," said the PKS politician.

The commission member, who is partnered with the National Police, regrets that the recent case adds to the dark record of the Bhayangkara Corps at the age of 75. Moreover, he said, data from the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras) in its report entitled "Bhayangkara Report" stated that during June 2020 to May 2021, there were 651 cases of violence perpetrated by police officers.

Illustration (Source: VOI Documentation)

The police who slammed the student are now facing strict sanctions. This was revealed by the Head of Public Relations of the Banten Police AKBP Shinto Silitonga.

Shinto said the repressive actions carried out by police personnel were not justified. He said this was not in accordance with the police protocol during the security demonstration.

"Indeed, that is the realm of internal affairs in the context of internal propaganda and propaganda. In principle, there are already provisions for procedures for securing security," Shinto said on October 13 yesterday.

His party will also give sanctions to the police if it is true that they have taken repressive actions. "Certainly, the Banten Police have been concerned from the Kapolda that an error in the security procedure must be followed up," he said.

Previously reported, Faris was unconscious after being slammed by the authorities. Even so, the student admitted that he was in good health and only felt sore even though in the video the police slammed him against a hard surface.

"I'm not dead, now I'm still alive. In a normal state, although a little sore," he said.

Prevent abuse of power

Meanwhile, Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR) researcher Iftitahsari assessed that the actions of the officers known to the Police Brigadier with the initials NP were acts of excessive violence or abuse. "It's been abused, right, there's no need to secure it until it's slammed and makes the person convulse, right," he told VOI.

From the viral video, it can be seen that the police are carrying out violence against students, namely those in closed uniforms and without identification. Indeed, from a procedural point of view, the police have internal rules. Likewise about the attributes used.

"Anything that needs to be used during demonstrations or other operations may indeed be different," said Iftitahsari. However, according to him, attributes can be one of the considerations for the police to prevent abuse of power.

"But indeed it should be a consideration to prevent abuse of power. If possible the design of attributes that are closed for reasons of security may still make sense. But if for example you don't install a body cam on purpose, there may be a possibility that it was not considered to prevent abuse. ," said Iftitahsari.

Illustration (Source: VOI Documentation)

Even though Faris is currently in good condition, the National Human Rights Commission (Komnas HAM) has asked the police to thoroughly investigate this case. "The police must thoroughly investigate this incident," said Komnas HAM Commissioner Beka Ulung Hapsara through his Twitter account @BekaHapsara quoted Wednesday, October 13.

In addition, the National Police are asked to give strict sanctions to the perpetrators of violence and ensure that the same treatment does not happen again. "Komnas HAM condemns the treatment of the officers against fellow students who are conducting peaceful demonstrations," said Beka.

*Read other information about the POLICE or read other interesting articles from Ramdan Febrian Arifin.

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