Police Reform And Reposition

President Prabowo Subianto is said to be soon inaugurating nine members of the National Police reform committee in the near future. The formation of this committee is carried out as a step of evaluation and improvement in the National Police institution.

The figure of the Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra, former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, to Former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court Jimmy Jimly Ashiddiqie is said to be joining the committee.

A public policy observer, Agus Wahid, assessed that the emergence of Polri reform from President Prabowo could not be separated from the 20-30 riots last August. The riots were not just a demonstration, but there was a destructive design, namely makar (overthrowing Prabowo). In this case, the police institution must be responsible. Because, the map in the field is indeed a police force that is dealing directly with it. However, the escalation of demonstrations and to riots made the Police unable to be separated from that responsibility, in addition to the Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security.

Illustration. Police participated in the Command Headquarters Security System (Sispam Mako) exercise at the Tanjung Perak Port Police in Surabaya, East Java. (PHOTO Didik Suhartono-Antara)

"It's okay"

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Thus, the direction of Polri reform that the president hopes is clear. First, preventing the recurrence of political anarchist riots, let alone leading to the overthrow of power. Second, fixing the performance of the National Police so that it is not used as an interest for certain parties who oppose the constitution. Third, rebuilding the Police paradigm, as a servant and protector of the community, is not hostile to the people. Fourth, fixing the system and even the work culture of the police, which is far from Bhayangkari. Fifth, it is necessary to carry out total guidance to the mentality of the police, which is increasingly prominent in the world of corruption and abuse of authority.

The Global Corruption Barometer (GCB) note compiled by the Transparency International Institute, corruption in the police institution is recorded as the fifth largest in the country. And since the last ten years, there has been an upward trend of up to 65 percent. If we look at this upward trend, it means that there is a correlation that 'protection' or making a 'golden child' against a police institution has resulted in the courage to abuse of power, including acts of enriching oneself or corruption," he said, Monday, October 6, 2025.

Sixth, continued Agus, looking for answers, is it necessary to reposition the National Police institution? Is it back under the TNI institution, or under the Ministry of Home Affairs? Or remains as it is now, directly under the president? If under the president, is it a power tool, which means as a presidential bodyguard, or a position as a state tool according to the law?

Although the fact is that they are facing exposure, especially since there is a desire to withdraw the Police under the TNI or the ministry, it will certainly cause debate and polemics. This polemic must be directed at improving institutions systemically, not repositioning the position of the Police in the state administration system.

Throughout the historical route, the National Police's institutions have experienced repositions many times. At the beginning of independence, the position of the Police was placed under the ministry. In 1945, the police were under the Ministry of Home Affairs. A year after independence on June 1, 1946, the Police were placed under the prime minister. In 1948, because Indonesia adhered to a presidential system, the police position was then placed under the president and vice president.

Photo Certificate: Illustration of Polri reform that must be prioritized by President Prabowo. (Ist)

"It's okay"

During the Republic of Indonesia, the Police's Position is regulated by Presidential Decree No. 22 of 1950. The Presidential Decree stated that the RIS Police in the political wisdom of the police was under the prime minister with the intermediary of the attorney general. Meanwhile, in terms of coaching administration, it was accounted for to the minister of the interior. From 1950-1959, after RIS was dissolved, the police were placed under the prime minister. During that time the police position was under the ministry.

In 1959, President Soekarno issued Decree 5 July 1959. The decree also affected the position of the Police in the constitutional structure. The position of the Police, which was previously under the prime minister, was then given a position at the level of the state ministry. After Soekarno began his guided democracy debut, forming ABRI, which eventually placed the Police under ABRI until the 1998 Reformation.

After the ABRI function was revoked, the Police were then separated from the TNI and placed directly under the president. From this history there are two government systems, namely the presidential and parliamentary system. In the parliamentary system, the police position is under the minister. Whereas in the presidential system, the police position is directly under the president.

Reposition And Restore Public Trust

Political observer Firdaus Syam agrees that the current condition and performance of the National Police are not doing well and far from public trust. Various incidents involving members of the National Police such as cases of extortion of suspects or defendants, shooting of fellow police officers or against civilians, drug cases and other cases are the tip of the iceberg of the many problems in the National Police institution.

The main problem in the National Police institution is culture, mentality or hypocriticism. Why is this Polri culture and mentality important for us to highlight, namely allegations of drug cases, shootings, extortion and the like," he said.

Firdaus admitted that he would agree if a reposition of the National Police, which is currently directly under the president, would put the Police under the ministry or institution. However, before a reposition is carried out, it is necessary to carry out total reforms within the Police, specifically for improvements to the matter of culture, behavior and education within the Police.

"Regarding my reposition, I agree. However, the reposition of the Police must be passed with several stages such as improving culture, behavior, education, or systems in making improvements and improvements to the Polri institution," he explained.

According to him, the fact at this time is that the police are like the military and have deviated from their main duties to protect, serve and maintain public order. Not to mention the alleged involvement of the police in practical politics and alleged criminalization that makes citizens afraid to express their aspirations. The reposition of the Police is very possible, but the next question is who is authorized to reposition the Police? What can reposition the Polri institution is that it can be done on the will of the president's politics, "said Firdaus.

President Prabowo was accompanied by the National Police Chief General Pol Listyo Sigit Prabowo during the inspection of Bhayangkara's 79th Anniversary ceremony at Monas, Jakarta, Tuesday, July 1, 2025. (ANTARA)

"It's okay"

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"I am sure that the position of the National Police wherever they want to be placed will remain bad, if their character, mentality and culture at the institutional level are not addressed. The reposition of the Police must start with reforms or changes in culture and education in Polri institutions to be more serving," he continued.

For additional notes, from the results of the Civil Society for Police Watch survey released in February 2025, it shows that the public wants to open a discourse on the reposition of the National Police, which is currently under the president. From the survey results, the majority of respondents still want the National Police to be under the president at 32.3 percent. Meanwhile, respondents who wanted the Police to be under the Ministry of Home Affairs were 15.8 percent, under the Prosecutor's Office 24.6 percent, while those who answered the Police under the Ministry of Defense were 15.2 percent, and respondents who answered they did not know or did not answer by 12.2 percent.

In addition, the survey results also show that the public wants the National Police to be under ministries/agencies other than the President, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Defense, and the Attorney General's Office. Respondents want the Police under the Ministry of Law to be 19.7 percent, under the Coordinating Ministry for Law, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections as much as 9.6 percent, under the TNI as 11.6 percent, and 5.3 percent. Meanwhile, respondents who answered did not know/did not answer by 38.6 percent.

Agus Wahid added, what is concerning is the impact of the total loyalty of the police chief to the authorities. The impact is not only the shift in the position of the top leadership level, but also to the layer-layers below him. Occurring, a massive reposition on behalf of the force at the Police Academy (Akpol) at the National Police Headquarters. Also, it happened to the leadership of the Regional Police. All of this has an impact on jealousy due to delays in rank and position rations. The higher the jealousy because the impact is also on the view of the increasing number of non-job officers and commissioners. Salary but not having a desk, aka not working. And of little value if without allowances. All of this has a serious impact on the psychological aspect, social jealousy and the economy.

On the other hand, Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS) researcher, Bambang Rukminto, hopes that Polri reform will also touch problems that are still overlooked as regulated in Law Number 2 of 2002 concerning the Indonesian National Police, one of which is about the budget.

He stated that the Polri reform plan must also be accompanied by a revision of Law 2/2002 which is currently being rolled out in the DPR, especially regarding the source of the budget used by the Police. In fact, the sources of funds received by the National Police are not only from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) but also other sources such as Non-Tax State Revenue (PNBP) as well as grants from government and non-government agencies. UU 2/2002 does not contain articles that discuss explicitity about the police budget," he added.

Mass demonstrations in front of the DPR/MPR RI building, Jakarta were chaotic. Hundreds of demonstrators began arriving to crowd the Gatot Subroto road at around 10:00 WIB on Monday, August 25, 2025. (VOI/Bambang E Ros)

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Bambang gave an example of the tragedy of the Kanjuruhan stadium which killed at least 135 people. The organizers of the football match between Arema and Persebaya are private parties, it is suspected that there are security costs. The security costs should be for special security inside stadiums such as security guards or stewards.

It is not security that maintains public security like the police. The security arrangements are only regulated through the Chief of Police Regulation (Perkap) so that those who guard the police. The goal is that the police get grant funds.

"This budget issue is barely found in the revision of Law 2/2002. In addition, grants originating from companies or corporations, for example related to marine fences. This results in conflicts of interest when there are legal problems," said Bambang.

Police reform is not only about repositioning or improving the image of the institution, but about rebuilding social contracts between the country and its people. In the midst of a crisis of public trust, only the Police have the courage to enforce the law indiscriminately that will gain moral and political legitimacy. In the nation's history, power can always force, but trust can only be achieved with justice. And this is where Polri reform finds meaning, from power to public trust.