Exemplary Leadership

Kompas

National Police Chief General (Pol) Listyo Sigit Prabowo gave a statement to reporters after reviewing the Covid-19 vaccination which was held at Bentara Budaya Jakarta, Jakarta, on Thursday (1/7/2021).

The chief of the National Police (Polri), Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo, has sent a strong message to his staff reminding them of the need for leadership skills.

The statement, delivered by chief Listyo during a talk at the Police Senior Staff and Command School (Sespimti) in Lembang, West Java on Wednesday (27/10/2021) was firm, and could be considered harsh. The warning was a response to internal dynamics within the police.

Over the last two weeks, a number of viral videos showing members of the police behaving arrogantly and unprofessionally have generated a negative response from the public. The misconduct of these police officers has raised the question: what is wrong with our police?

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Citing a proverb, the National Police chief said, “The fish starts rotting from the head.” In other words, internal problems in the police force occur because the leader has a problem or cannot be a role model for his or her subordinates.

KOMPAS/RIZA FATHONI

A police woman stops a car that violates the odd-even rule at the Cawang intersection, East Jakarta, Thursday (6/8/2020).

We support the statement of chief Listyo. Exemplary leadership is important. As well as setting an example, a leader should also protect, supervise and develop the careers of his subordinates. Talking about the leadership in police circles means talking about hierarchies within the police institution, ranging from the National Police chief to the heads of the police on the regional and district level, whose responsibility is to protect the community and supervise subordinates.

Yet aside from the misconduct that went viral, many police members go beyond the call of duty. Those who have contributed both to the community and the police institution must, of course, also get recognition. There must be a reward for those who excel and punishment for those who behave despicably.

A monologue or one-way statement is no longer sufficient. Dialogic communication is needed to build understanding.

The world has changed. Communication technology in the digital era has enabled everyone to become a news provider. Now, it is impossible to cover up the misconduct of police, including what may have occurred in the past. Everything, sooner or later, will come out. Viral politics becomes suppressive politics. The police should be able to adjust with the rapid change in communication technology. A monologue or one-way statement is no longer sufficient. Dialogic communication is needed to build understanding.

KOMPAS/ERWIN EDHI PRASETYA

Illustration: Police return passports belonging to prospective Umrah pilgrims who were victims of alleged fraud by the Umrah travel agency PT Ottoman Hannien Tour or Hannien Tour in Solo, Central Java, Tuesday (9/1/2018).

An event always has context. There should be background information so the public can understand what has really happened. An event without context becomes public consumption, and the public can provide their own context according to their respective perspectives. When information is out of context, communication can become more chaotic. All of this can affect public perception.

The recent emotional behavior of the police, including within the leadership of regional police, deserves to be investigated. Is the duration of police education across the various educational institutions still too short? Has the issue of human rights been embedded in the hearts of the National Police? An understanding of human rights is needed so the aspiration to produce police officers who are humanist and loved by the people can be realized.

(This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi).