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Quizzing the police
The police should not take advantage of the growing public support for the use of violence in the name of law enforcement.
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A case in point is the findings of human rights violations allegedly committed by members of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob), the police’s paramilitary unit, against people they accused of involvement in the riots in Central Jakarta between May 21 and 23. (JP/Wendra Ajistyatama)
N
o parade marked the 73rd anniversary of the National Police on Monday. While the discourse has for some time lingered on the original birth date of the force, the police always needed a moment of silence to reflect on what they have achieved and where they have fallen short, not only in providing security and order, but also in protecting democracy and freedom from any kind of threat.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has lavished praise on the police for their efforts to safeguard the election on several occasions, most recently during his acceptance speech following the Constitutional Court’s decision that upheld his reelection last Thursday.
Indeed the hard work of the police resulted in a record-high voter turnout of over 80 percent in the historic simultaneous legislative and presidential elections on April 17. People flocked to nearly 810,000 polling stations across the country without fear to exercise their democratic rights.
The police also played a pivotal role in maintaining peace during the election, particularly during the seven-month campaign period. Credit should go to the police as no major clashes erupted during the divisive political contest. The police were also quick in acting against those spreading lies with the intent of perpetuating hatred between the supporters of the rival candidates.
In their fight against the long-standing stigma of being a corrupt institution, the police have gone online to speed up public services and promote transparency. However, reports of bribery on the street and the necessity for grease money to expedite services remain widespread.
Surely, the police must not rest on the commendations that will leave them stuck in a comfort zone. The police should not take advantage of the growing public support for the use of violence in the name of law enforcement. A case in point is the findings of human rights violations allegedly committed by members of the Mobile Brigade (Brimob), the police’s paramilitary unit, against people they accused of involvement in the riots in Central Jakarta between May 21 and 23.
Amnesty International Indonesia reported serious instances of violence against defenseless Jakartans involving Brimob officers who were searching for alleged rioters in Kampung Bali near the Elections Supervisory Agency (Bawaslu) office. The rights watchdog said at least 12 people were tortured by Brimob personnel during the crackdown and is pushing for an independent investigation.
Brutality remains a stubborn stain on the police’s image. Another rights group, the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence, found in its study that torture was commonly used to extract “confessions” from suspects, particularly in police precincts and stations.
Now the public is closely watching police personnel’s pursuit of leadership posts in the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). The public continues to question the police’s commitment to anticorruption efforts, especially in light of the recent news that an officer who was recalled from the KPK for an ethical violation had won promotion as a provincial police chief.
Answers to the big questions on police credibility will thus enliven the force’s anniversary celebration.
