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middle-ranking Lampung police officer was caught consuming shabu-shabu (crystal methamphetamine), with a woman in a hotel room, the National Police said on Friday.

The officer, identified as Sr. Comr. Suyono, a Lampung Police supervisory inspector, was arrested in a three-star hotel in Teluk Betung Utara, Bandar Lampung, late on Tuesday.

National Police Public Supervision Inspectorate (Irwasum) chief Comr. Gen Imam Sudjarwo said that the case was still under investigation. '€œWe have just questioned him. We will announce the results later,'€ he told reporters at the National Police headquarters in Jakarta.

He added that the police were questioning Suyono regarding the shabu-shabu and the woman, who was not his wife.

National Police spokesman Sr. Comr. Ronny Franky Sompie, meanwhile, said that a team from the National Police had been deployed to Lampung to investigate the case since Wednesday.

Besides Imam and Ronny, the police have said nothing about the case, with Narcotics division director of the National Police Detective Agency, Brig. Gen. Arman Depari, and National Police spokesperson Sr. Comr. Agus Rianto not replying to inquiries from reporters on the matter.

Criminologist at the University of Indonesia Bambang Widodo Umar said that the case in Lampung could be just the tip of the iceberg as there could be many other police officers who consumed drugs.

'€œIf there is no sting operation or information from the public then it will be difficult to uncover [such practices],'€ he told The Jakarta Post on Friday.

Bambang also lambasted the practice, saying that it contradicted Suyono'€™s responsibilities as a law enforcer.

He added that the case would likely further tarnish the police'€™s image. '€œWho knew that when a police officer caught a drug dealer that he consumed the drugs [that he confiscated], or even worse, sold the drugs,'€ Bambang said.

He went to say that Suyono may be consuming drugs due to his occupation, where he often has to deal with harsh working conditions.

'€œA police officer'€™s job is hard because he has to deal with criminals, so his mental state can become fragile. Therefore, it is easy for him to get dragged [into consuming drugs] to reduce the pressure caused by his job,'€ said Bambang.

The police, therefore, should foster a healthier working environment for police officers, he added.

'€œConsultation services should be provided, or stricter guidance from police leaders. The issue could also be a result of weak leadership,'€ he said.

Bambang added that there was a possibility that the police tried to hide the case from the public.

'€œIf the case was revealed to the public, it could hurt [the police'€™s image],'€ he said.

By trying to cover up the case, however, it will cause increased negative public perception of the police, according to Bambang.

The police should have told public that it would do its best to punish the police officer in question, he said. '€œIf the police are assertiveness in handling the case, it will result in a more positive image [for the police],'€ said Bambang.