| Police Reforms Still Needed |
|
|
|
|
The Jakarta Post (October 10, 2008) Last month Bambang Hendarso Danuri replaced Sutanto as National Police (Polri) chief. Unfortunately during his appointment, there was a clash between members of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) and supporters of the Nationhood Alliance for Freedom of Faith and Belief (AKBPP) at the South Jakarta District Court. The clash is a strong indication that the police have not been professional and credible in performing their main tasks of maintaining security and order. Regardless of which side was guilty, a seriously wounded supporter of AKBPP was beaten and kicked by FPI members although he was under police escort. If the police were professional, they should have been prepared with an adequate number of anti-riot personnel in anticipation of such an incident before the court case where the FPI coordinator is standing trial as a suspect. The police apparently did not learn from Monas' violent incident in June which involved both sides. During a fit and proper test before the law commission of the House of Representatives here recently, Bambang, the only candidate, emphasized the need for accelerating the ongoing programs' sustainability, performance quality improvement and organizational commitment. He is committed to fighting gambling, drug abuse, terrorism, while-collar crime, illegal logging and illegal fishing, street crime, human trafficking and other social diseases. But the new police chief was apparently unaware of the department's real condition and capability. How will the police be able to improve not only their credibility but also their professionalism in the eyes of the public if their basic and main tasks cannot be performed well? Bambang urgently needs to honestly identify basic problems that are keeping the police from accomplishing their tasks well. We should no longer turn a blind eye to the problem and continue demanding them to "live a sacred life" while their daily basic needs are not met. One of Sutanto's several failures during his tenure was that he could not fight for his personnel's social welfare although the House had frequently reminded him to convince the President for a larger police budget because their salaries are only enough for ten days. Many police have to moonlight or end up abusing their power to seek additional income to support their family. The police cannot perform their major tasks and challenges unless the basic and main tasks of maintaining security and public order, monitoring the traffic and other public services are performed well. For humane reasons, it is impossible for police personnel to wholly dedicate their lives to their profession if their salaries cannot cover their daily basic needs and their family's. Bambang also needs to speed up internal consolidation and reform, including revamping organizational and training programs, in order to have qualified and professional personnel. Besides lacking qualified personnel, most of the current personnel are graduates of the old curriculum-based police academy and recruitment system when the National Police was an integral part of the then Indonesian Military during the New Order era. They are in dire need of regular training to reform their mind-set and characteristics in order to reinstate the National Police as civil servants and professional investigators. We do appreciate the new recruitment system and curriculum giving more opportunities to fresh university graduates to join the police academy but its fruits will not be realized for at least 10 to 20 years because besides taking time, the new recruits will not be directly appointed as field commanders. Indonesia needs professional police to maintain security, order and to enforce the law -- fundamental human and democratic rights the people have yet to obtain in their capacity as citizens and within a pluralist community. The police's main and basic tasks are not to issue driving licenses nor nab corrupters -- two jobs that can be handled by other institutions -- but to create a safe feeling in a pluralist society, make sure the rule of the law is applied and that all citizens are equal before the law. If the police stick to these minor but basic tasks, major cases and responsibilities will be entrusted to them. Traffic police in Britain are respected by motorists and travelers because they maintain the flow of traffic and their service is helpful. The Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States is known to be credible and accountable because its detectives are professional in thoroughly carrying out their investigations. The writer is a member of House of Representatives Commission III on law and deputy secretary-general of the Prosperous Justice Party. He can be reached at Alamat E-mail ini telah dilindungi dari bot spam, anda perlu aktifkan Javascript untuk melihat ini Dibaca: 92
Powered by AkoComment Tweaked Special Edition v.1.4.6 |
||||||||
beri komentar untuk artikel ini
| < Sebelumnya |
|---|