Because Forestry Police Also Need Quick Response Units

Doc KLHK

JAKARTA - Strengthening the Rapid Response Forestry Police Unit (SPORC) is important in taking action against criminals in the forestry sector. They seek to prevent actions that damage and threaten people's lives, ecosystems and biodiversity and have the potential to weaken the state.

Over time, environmental and forestry crimes are very dynamic, and will continue to look for new patterns and forms. That's why SPORC must continue to forge itself and innovate in order to remain able to face the threat of forest crime, which will also improve in quality.

"For this reason, I request that forestry officials, from the central level, to the regional level and at the site level, can cooperate with SPORC in order to oversee laws and regulations and actively maintain the security of forests and forest areas," said the Minister of Environment and Forestry, Siti Nurbaya, when she was the Inspector of the Closing Ceremony of the SPORC Training Batch IV 2021, in Sukabumi, Saturday 11 December.

In her speech, Minister Siti instructed seven things. First, hold fast and practice the knowledge gained to deal with threats and disturbances to forest security well in the field, always improve competence, discipline, honesty, and a high work ethic, and demonstrate professionalism in work that is able to act quickly, precisely, and accurately.

Second, maintain the honor, trust, and pride as a member of SPORC. Third, build a SPORC work culture that has a strong commando spirit and firmly stands on the foundation of LHK law enforcement values, which are integrity, professionalism, responsiveness, and innovation. Fourth, strengthen SPORC's internal solidity and synergy with other law enforcers.

Fifth, build law enforcement that is transparent and fair, and increasingly trusted. Sixth, the prevention aspect must be prioritized by prioritizing the presumption of innocence. Don't wait until a problem occurs, a potential problem must be addressed before it actually becomes a problem.

"I need to emphasize that the safety of the people is the most important thing. The interests of the people are the highest law. Perform tasks in a persuasive and humane way, but must remain alert and responsive and decisive in dealing with various violations of law in the forestry sector by maintaining professionalism and people's trust," Minister Siti's message.

On that occasion, Minister Siti also inaugurated 57 SPORC members, who will be assigned to strengthen the 16 SPORC Brigades spread throughout Indonesia. In this way, law enforcement efforts against environmental and forestry crimes can be carried out optimally.

Previously, 57 SPORC members underwent training at the Education and Training Institute (Lemdiklat POLRI) Educational School (Setukpa) Sukabumi West Java, for 45 days. During the training, participants received various materials, including survival, self-defense, Jungle Survival, shooting, and others. The training process was closed with multiple exercises (Latganda) with a Long March from Setukpa Polri Sukabumi to Pelabuhan Ratu for 2 days.

SPORC members who are appointed are millennials. Most of them have an educational background in forestry and law degrees. After being sworn in, 57 SPORC members will be assigned to the Directorate General of LHK Law Enforcement (Ditjen Gakkum) work units throughout Indonesia.

Director-General of LHK Law Enforcement Rasio Ridho Sani stated that the challenges in enforcing the LHK law are getting tougher with various types of LHK crime modes. With the inauguration of 57 SPORC members, it will improve the quality and quantity of LHK law enforcers in the field.

"After the inauguration of the 57 SPORC members, some of their capabilities will be enhanced with intelligence training, investigation training, remote sensing training, and increasing mastery of technology in eradicating LHK crimes," said Rasio Sani.

SPORC was formed on January 4, 2005, as a special unit that is reliable, professional, has high mobility in handling forest security disturbances. Currently, the number of brigades is 16 brigades with a total of 499 personnel in SPORC brigades throughout Indonesia. All brigades have played an active role in the prevention and handling of environmental and forestry crimes.

From 2015 until now, SPORC has contributed to 653 forest security operations, 671 illegal logging operations, 416 TSL trading operations, 592 cases P21 cases of illegal logging, 333 cases of P21 TSL, 156 cases of P21 forest encroachment, 32 cases of P21 environmental pollution, 12 cases of P21 land and forest fires, and 14 cases of P21 environmental damage.