When President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo nominated then head of the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) Comr. Gen. Tito Karnavian to take the helm of the National Police in June last year, his order was to improve the force’s professionalism and performance.

On Monday, Jokowi declared “mission accomplished” and congratulated Tito, now a police general, for a job well done.

In his speech to commemorate the 71st anniversary of the force, President Jokowi praised the police for its success in maintaining domestic security, while at the same time, improving the image of the institution — which until recently had been deemed as one of the most corrupt and least trusted state institutions.

Jokowi said the force had shown better dedication and integrity in ensuring security, achieving national development and ensuring better economic equality in the country.

“The force has shown greater dedication and integrity [...] it is therefore not a surprise that trust toward the National Police has improved and they have become more loved by the people. I congratulate the entire National Police family,” Jokowi said in the speech.

Jokowi then listed the force’s achievements, from maintaining safety and security for Idul Fitri holiday travelers to cracking down on homegrown terror networks.

During this year’s holiday exodus season, the police recorded 3,168 cases of traffic accidents, down 30.4 percent from 4,551 cases in 2016.

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