Civil Coalition Urges Police to Return to People's Mandate

A coalition of civil society groups rallied outside the Jakarta Police headquarters on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, coinciding with the 80th anniversary of the Indonesian National Police (Polri). The protesters urged the police to recommit to their public mandate and to halt practices involving violence and the politicization of the institution.

Arif Maulana, coordinator of the Coalition for Police Reform Secretariat, reminded the police that their establishment originated from the people's movement in 1998. He stressed that the separation of Polri from the military (ABRI) was intended to create a professional, democratic, and civilian police force. "The police were separated from ABRI to become civilian police, professional police, apolitical, not involved in business, democratic, who maintain security and order, who protect and serve the community by enforcing fair law," Arif stated during his address.

Maulana urged all levels of the police, from the National Police Chief down to precinct chiefs, not to forget their mandate and the trust placed in them by the people. He emphasized that all police resources, including weapons and tactical vehicles, are funded by public money and should not be misused for the interests of power or oligarchs. "There is no imposing police uniform if it is not financed by the people. Police must return to their identity as the people's tool, a tool of democracy. Not a tool of power, not a tool for the interests of the ruling regime, not a tool to strike down oligarchs," Arif declared.

Furthermore, Arif criticized proposed revisions to the Police Law, arguing that they grant excessive authority to the police, potentially hindering their professionalism. He expressed concern that the police might become involved in nearly all aspects of public life. The proposal to extend the service term and retirement age for high-ranking officers to 70 also drew criticism, with Arif warning of the significant risk of power abuse associated with such a policy.