From Soak To Decent Rooms: Kendari Police Build New Rutan

Kendari Police Chief Kombes Edwin L. Sengka when starting construction of the Kendari Police Detention Center, Southeast Sulawesi (18/9/2025). (ANTARA/La Ode Muh Deden Saputra)

Kendari Police Chief Kombes Edwin L. Sengka said the construction of the Kendari Police Detention Center, Southeast Sulawesi, was carried out to prioritize the humanitarian side of the detainees.

According to Edwin, the detention center that has been used only accommodates about 40 detainees, thus exceeding capacity and no longer suitable for use.

"What is now inappropriate is humanitarian and human rights for prisoners," said Edwin in Kendari, Antara, Thursday, September 18.

Kendari Police then built a new detention center measuring 21 x 5.25 meters with a capacity of 80 people. In the first stage, the construction of the detention center uses the Kendari City Government's budget of IDR 956 million.

"This is the first stage. When the prisoners are finished, we will move them there, then we will continue stage two," he said.

So far, the Kendari Police have used to entrust prisoners to the Kendari Class IIA Detention Center if the number of detainees exceeds capacity. However, since the plan to build a new detention center, the Kendari Police have no longer left detainees outside.

At the same location, Assistant III of the Kendari City Regional Secretariat, Imran Ismail, said that the construction of the Polresta detention center is an important step to strengthen law enforcement facilities as well as efforts to realize a more humanist criminal justice system.

"Restriction houses are not only places to detain those who are in legal proceedings, but become temporary coaching rooms before the inmates return to society," said Imran.

Kendari City Government, he continued, provides full support so that the construction of the detention center can help law enforcement officials and provide better human rights guarantees for detainees.

"Don't let there be a negative stigma that detention centers are only places to lock people. We interpret them as a training platform so that prisoners are better when returning to society," added Imran Ismail.