Finding an Ideal National Police Chief

KOMPAS/HERU SRI KUMORO

National Police Chief General Idham Azis greets DPR members before a working meeting with members of the DPR Commission III at the Parliament Building Complex, Senayan, Jakarta, Thursday (30/1/2020).

President Joko Widodo has not yet finished selecting the candidate to replace National Police chief Gen. Idham Azis, who will retire in early February. A number of criteria were voiced to ensure that the National Police will perform better in the future.

In early February, the chief of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri), Gen. Idham Azis, will retire. Before the police chief’s retirement, it is the job of President Joko Widodo to pick a successor. Several names of police chief candidates have circulated, but the final decision remains with the President, of course with the approval of the House of Representatives. So what are the ideal criteria for the next National Police chief?

Referring to Article 11 Paragraph (6) of Law (UU) No. 2/2020 concerning the police, the candidate for the police chief is a high-ranking police officer who is still active with respect to rank seniority and career. This principle of seniority refers to prioritizing the figure who has the highest rank below the National Police chief.

Also read: House Approves Idham as National Police Chief

Thus, all high-ranking police officers with the rank of commissioner general (Comr. Gen.) have the opportunity to get appointed by the President as the next National Police chief candidate.

Until now, it is still a puzzle.

However, among the many commissioner generals at the national police, four of them are widely discussed to be the favorite candidate and are said to have the greatest chance of being appointed by the President. The four figures are deputy police chief Comr. Gen. Gatot Eddy Pramono; chief of the National Police Criminal Investigation Agency, Comr. Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo; head of the National Counterterrorism Agency, Comr. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar and head of the Security Maintenance Agency (Baharkam), Comr. Gen Agus Andrianto.

Is it true that one of the four commissioners will be appointed by the President? Until now, it is still a puzzle.

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro

National Police Chief General (Pol) Idham Azis (left) with KPK Chairman Agus Rahardjo after a meeting at the KPK Building, Jakarta, Monday (4/11/2019).

The President has not yet submitted a letter containing the name of the candidate for the police chief of his choice to the House. "Not yet. We have not received the presidential letter yet,” said House Secretary General Indra Iskandar on Thursday (7/1/2021). Before being officially sworn in by the President, the next National Police chief must first obtain approval from the House.

The President reportedly still has not finished sorting and selecting even though he was said to have narrowed down the names of the commissioner generals. Likewise, the National Police Commission (Kompolnas) has not yet finished giving consideration to the names of candidates for the police chief to the President as mandated by the National Police Law.

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"We\'ll just wait for the output of this process. However, I make sure that the President\'s considerations are rational, not political," said the Presidential Staff Office chief expert Donny Gahral Adian, during Kompas TV’s Satu Meja talk show entitled "Puzzle Regarding the New Police Chief" on Wednesday night (6/1/2021).

The talk show, which was hosted by Deputy General Manager of Kompas, Budiman Tanuredjo, was attended by a number of other sources, namely members of House Commission III from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction Nasir Djamil, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia Usman Hamid and politics and security expert Muradi from Padjadjaran University.

We\'ll just wait for the output of this process. However, I make sure that the President\'s considerations are rational, not political,

Criteria of police chief candidates

According to Donny, the criteria of the National Police chief candidates used by the President is sensible, as the candidate should have integrity, be caring and communicative and have the capacity to enforce the law. The National Police chief candidate who will be appointed should also be a figure considered capable of reducing allegations that the police have criminalized certain parties.

He also stated that the high-ranking officer who would later be appointed by the President as the National Police chief is best of the best in the police. Thus, it is hoped that the new chief of the National Police will be able to keep the balance between maintaining security and order as well as guarding the democratic process.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

A police officer tries to communicate and calm down protesters protesting the ratification of the Job Creation Bill on Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Thursday (8/10/2020).

According to Usman, the nation needs a National Police chief who is able to lead the police as a state instrument that is neutral towards the interests of the authority. This is because there has been an impression that the police have been politicized by the authorities. This situation arose from the closeness of the police to the President.

"[Such criteria are needed] to balance the interests of maintaining stability and security, protecting the interests of the government, but at the same time protecting and serving the community. So, the independence of the police is as a state instrument, not a government instrument," he said.

Handling protests

In several incidents in the last two years, Usman assessed that the police have played more of a role as an instrument of the government. This is evident in the handling of demonstrations against the passage of the Job Creation Law in October 2020, or when handling demonstrations against a number of problematic draft laws, one of which is the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission Law in September 2019. Amnesty International Indonesia has recorded around 400 incidents of violence by the police.

Besides, Usman did not agree that civilian positions in the ministries and state institutions are occupied by active police officers. In addition to disrupting the function of career development in those institutions, the policy choice does not guarantee that those institutions will improve their performance.

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According to Muradi, the appointment of the National Police chief is entirely within the authority of the President. However, reflecting on the current conditions, it takes a National Police chief who is also brave to appear in public. This is necessary in addition to building public perceptions, as well as educating the public.

"I hope that the new police chief will no longer issue maklumat [public announcement] because with that announcement, people are not enlightened. It will be enough [for police chief] to issue a circular or telegram for any internal affairs. Meanwhile, one police function is to provide education. So, the National Police chief has to appear a lot and explain to the public," added Muradi.

Kompas/Wawan H Prabowo

National Police Chief General Idham Aziz (left) talks with TNI Commander Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto while waiting for the arrival of President Joko Widodo who will review the readiness to implement the new normal standard procedure in front of the HI Roundabout MRT station, Central Jakarta, Tuesday (26/5/2020).

Reading President\'s vision

In addition, he continued, this nation needs a National Police chief who is able to handle a lot of police homework. Another thing that is no less important is that this nation needs a National Police chief who is able to read the President\'s vision.

"If the President wants to be comfortable, he must have a National Police chief who can do many things. This means that it [the police chief] is not preoccupied with things such as internal matters. So, the [police chief] should be able to handle internal issues, close to the public and able to understand the President\'s vision. I think that\'s what will keep the President comfortable in the remaining three years of his office term. If it is not obtained, the three years will not become a political bonus, but become a burden in itself,” he explained.

If the President wants to be comfortable, he must have a National Police chief who can do many things.

Nasir Djamil said that the House is still waiting for the names of National Police chief candidate from the President. From the experience so far, the President has always proposed one police chief candidate and there has never been a candidate which was rejected by the House.

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"I think it is not difficult for the President because he already has an experience in how to replace the police chief. I personally want to see what process the President will use: Whether he will use [urut kacang] seniority approach or pick whoever he thinks is the best candidate,” said Nasir.

According to Nasir, the President actually has no burden in determining the right person to become the National Police chief. Therefore, it is hoped that the President will appoint a National Police chief candidate who prioritizes transparency and accountability and sticks to the law and the public\'s interests.

Kompas/Heru Sri Kumoro

The candidate for the chief of National Police, Comr. Gen. Idham Aziz, pays his respects to members of the House of Representatives shortly before being screened by members of Commission III at the Senayan legislative complex, Jakarta, Wednesday (30/10/2019). Idham was appointed as the sole candidate for the National Police chief by President Joko Widodo to replace Tito Karnavian. Tito resigned from the National Police after being appointed by President Jokowi as the home minister.

This article was translated by Kurniawan H. Siswoko.