Indonesian House Debates Rules on Police Affiliated with Community Organizations in Police Bill

Indonesia's House of Representatives is currently deliberating a revision to the Police Law that could prohibit police officers from joining community organizations. This proposed regulation aims to further solidify the neutrality of the Indonesian National Police (Polri).

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Is it ethical, for example, yes, for members of the National Police or police leadership to declare themselves as members of a certain community organization?

The discussion emerged during a continued meeting focused on the third amendment to the Police Law, which is in the phase of gathering public input. Existing police ethics regulations, referencing the current Police Law (UU 2/2002), already forbid police officers from holding active membership or leadership roles in community organizations, including political parties, to maintain impartiality.

To thoroughly discuss the implications of this rule within the revised Police Law, the House's Commission III invited two experts: Cecep Darmawan, a professor and Dean of the Faculty of Social Science Education at UPI, and Mirza Nasution, an academic from the Faculty of Law at USU.

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So, can we address this with the regulations in this law, Professor? Neutrality is not just about practical politics.

Habiburokhman, Chairman of Commission III, questioned the ethical implications of police officials aligning themselves with specific community organizations. He emphasized that neutrality extends beyond practical politics, advocating for a redefinition of police independence to ensure they are free from affiliations with any group. "The National Police Chief, for example, is the National Police Chief for Muhammadiyah, also for NU. He belongs to everyone, right?" Habiburokhman remarked, also noting his position as Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party.

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The National Police Chief, for example, is the National Police Chief for Muhammadiyah, also for NU. He belongs to everyone, right?

Professor Cecep Darmawan viewed the proposal as visionary, noting the lack of prior discussion on the matter. He agreed that police officers should belong to all groups and supported the idea of re-regulating police independence, whether through legislation or police regulations. However, he suggested that such a provision might not need to be enshrined in law but could be noted as a guideline. Current regulations, such as Police Regulation Number 7 of 2022 concerning Professional Ethics and Professional Code of Conduct, address police involvement with external organizations, prohibiting membership in government-banned groups, political parties, or engagement in practical political activities.

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So, is it possible for members of the National Police to be truly independent and free from affiliations with organizations outside the Polri institution?