In observance of National Police Day on July 1, pressure mounts for the security force to accelerate internal reform to improve its service to the public. Insp. gen. (ret.) Muhammad Nurdin, the former chief of the North Sumatra Police and a member of the law commission at the House of Representatives, recently talked to The Jakarta Post's Ridwan Max Sijabat about the issue.

MUHAMMAD NURDIN

Question: What progress has the National Police achieved after a decade of reform and separation from the Indonesian Military (TNI)?

Answer: The police has made a series of changes and they are on their way to becoming a civilian institution, in accordance with MPR Decree No. 6/2000, MPR Decree No. 7/2000 and Law No. 2/2002, Law No. 34/2004. From a cultural point of view, the police has been reforming its education curriculum to change its militaristic-style image into a civilian one. It will take more time because most personnel are the product of the old militaristic education curriculum.

As a civilian institution it is changing, but it will take time. In the field, the police has yet to show its image as a civilian institution, which, according to the 2002 police law, should respect religious norms, morality and human rights.

Why have police and military personnel often clashed in the field?

Such conflicts are the reflection of a lack of understanding about their responsibilities and a lack of coordination between leadership of the two institutions.

What are the major hurdles to police reform?

Most police personnel do not yet understand the new police paradigm. They are yet to be professional and credible. Many still resort to violence when handling demonstrations and protests, while at the same time they can not maintain their credibility and professionalism in coping with law breakers.

This lack of credibility and professionalism has a lot to do with poor budget policy. The police annually receives a huge budget, but it trickles down to invisible hands. Hence, only a little is left for the designated recipients. The poor remuneration system and the lack of facilities have prevented them from working hard, motivating them to moonlight instead.

Many petty officers moonlight because of their low pay, which make them unable to fulfill daily needs, including housing and education for their children. It is no longer surprising that many police personnel have taken side jobs as motorcycle taxi drivers, corporate security guards and small business owners.

Ideally, the lowest-ranked police officers should earn at least Rp 7 million to keep them focused on their daily jobs and to prevent them from extorting people.

What does the police need to do to fix the condition?

All police personnel, especially those in the field serving the public, should be equipped with adequate training, budget and facilities to show its true image to the public.

Do you see any urgent need to revise the 2002 law?

No, I don't see any urgency to do so at present because the law is still up-to-date and quite relevant. We should blame the law as the culprit for the police's tarnished image.

The problem actually lies with the fact that the law has not been fully enforced. The police organization has been aptly put under the presidency and its working system has been rightfully designed, but there is something wrong with its implementation. This needs strong leadership at all levels.

What can the public do to support the police?

The public should avoid offering or giving bribes to police and should report crooked police personnel to their bosses. Many police officers commit fraud partly because people who break the law prefer to settle their problems on the spot to avoid heavier punishment and fines.

How should the police behave while on duty?

Police need to undergo more training to learn patience, especially in handling public unrests. They should uphold the law and maintain composure in the face of violent demonstrators. They should not be armed and should avoid using violence when enforcing the law, to win the public empathy. The police's right to exercise discretion to ignore law, religious and ethics norms in handling violent demonstrators should be phased out to prevent them abusing their power.

What should the police do to repair their tarnished image?

The police should continue its current policy to recruit university, instead of senior high school, graduates to be trained as new cadets. This will produce officers with good personality, maturity, broad-minds and an ability to serve the public in any conditions.

The new curriculum and new recruitment will allow the National Police to handle social problems professionally and to promote transparency and accountability.

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