T

he drama of the last two days at the National Police Headquarters, involving anti graft officers spending the night and having their pre-dawn meals there, before commencing fasting, has affirmed both the obvious and the oblivious: the obvious near-zero public distrust in the police and obliviousness of the police force to this fact.

Officers of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) came on Monday to the headquarters of the police traffic corps in South Jakarta to gather evidence of suspected fraud in a multibillion rupiah graft scandal involving the procurement of driving simulators. Protracted resistance on the part of the police finally led to the anti graft fighters being “held hostage” by police in the compound from Monday afternoon to Tuesday night. Only then were the KPK officers able to take the collected documents out of police headquarters.

The events were played down as a “miscommunication” between the leaders of both sides. The officers parted on gentlemanly terms, having shared a pre-dawn meal and dawn prayers together. But what transpired was not lost on the public.

The KPK had immediately named Insp. Gen. Djoko Susilo as suspect, charged with enriching himself and others while causing state losses in the procurement of 700 two-wheel and 556 four-wheel vehicle simulators worth
Rp 190 billion (US$20.12 million) last year — many of them that reportedly had yet to be used in police stations across the country.

That the police attempted to drive out the KPK on the grounds that they had launched their own investigations into the case was laughable, especially in the face of so many instances that have revealed the low credibility of the police. The earlier police investigation into the above case had merely led to issuing one of their own with a light penalty, which was only to be expected.

What the police may forget, or pretend to forget, is that the public is still awaiting the follow-up into investigations of corruption within the entire force. A high profile revelation was made following the KPK’s 2009 investigation of National Police chief detective Comr. Gen. Susno Duadji, who was revealed to have demanded billions from a businessman seeking his help. Susno boasted he had evidence of corruption involving several high ranking officers and over the years the public saw no progress into what the KPK said was “ongoing investigations” into the “fat” bank accounts of police generals — until Tuesday.

Any skepticism against the KPK must take into account the improbable challenges it faces in probing the powerful. This is why an earlier Facebook movement called “Coins for the KPK” emerged when lawmakers refused their proposal for a new building, and why the “Gecko versus the Crocodile” movement was so widespread, symbolizing support for KPK officers that were called “geckos’ by Susno, “the crocodile” whom the officers were investigating.

KPK chairman Abraham Samad has dismissed suggestions that this episode is “Gecko versus Crocodile Part II”. But of course the crocodile in police uniform looms large in public memory, as people wholly support the fight against corruption, more so in the institutions entrusted to uphold the law.

Separating the police from the military back in 1999 was the first source of hope for a police force that served the public. Now we are left in dismay that the reformasi and all the international goodwill to improve the police force has led it to serve itself.