[VOI Discussion] Police Work Is Close To Violence

VOI discussion with the theme Why Do We Hate Police? (Rizky Adytia Pramana / VOI)

JAKARTA - The case of alleged police torture against Sarpan construction workers in Deli Serdang, North Sumatra has made the police image depressing. The police's negative stigma close to violence was formed in the public.

Karo Penmas, Police Public Relations Division Brig. Gen. Awi Setyono, did not deny that the police were close to violence. In fact, according to him, the duty of the police is very close to violence. Especially during the process of arresting the perpetrators of crime.

"Police work violates their rights because they force people to stop, forcing people to hang up. So we are very close to it," Awi said in a VOI discussion, Thursday, July 16.

However, Awi emphasized that there must be a distinction between acts of violence during the arrest process and investigation or investigation. This is because under police regulations, the police are strictly prohibited from committing violence during the investigation or examination process. When there are members who use violence in the process, there will be sanctions awaiting them, namely ethics, disciplinary, and even criminal proceedings.

"This limit is very thin. But in the context of arrest, people fight back. In that context there are limits. In a weak state we should not commit violence," said Awi.

In addition, Commissioner of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) Poengky Indarti agreed with the statement of the one-star general. According to him, the acts of violence committed by members of the National Police had limits.

"There is a measure, do not let the person be helpless, but at the time the arrest is allowed," said Poengky.