Police Reform: How Far Has It Gone

3 days ago 6

The Police Reform Commission has not issued any recommendations. The police continue to cause more problems.

PRESIDENT Prabowo Subianto has been remarkably busy abroad. After signing a trade deal with United States President Donald Trump in Washington, D.C., he flew to Jordan. In the land where he lived in exile following the 1998 Reformasi, Prabowo met with King Abdullah, an old friend. His aides in Jakarta are reportedly reluctant to disturb the President’s “retreat.”

Among them is the Commission for the Acceleration of National Police Reform. Despite having passed its deadline, the Commission Chair has yet to submit their study on police restructuring, citing a “wait for the right time.” The President’s busy schedule has ensured that the “right time” to deliver these recommendations never arrives.

Meanwhile, the police grow increasingly brutal. In February, a member of the Maluku Regional Police Mobile Brigade (Brimob) hit a teenager to death in Tual for no clear reason. Second Brig. Mesias Victoria Siahaya reportedly struck 14-year-old Arianto Tawakal’s head with a hard tactical helmet on accusations of speeding. Even if the accusation were true, the police should not arbitrarily act outside the law like that.

Furthermore, it was not Mesias’ job to deal with reckless teenagers on roads. Even if annoyed by their behavior, as an officer, Mesias could have had a word with them and reminded them that speeding is against the law. As for enforcement, that authority belongs to the traffic police.

Mesias’ fault is an institutional fault. For too long, National Police Headquarters has deployed the Mobile Brigade for civilian matters outside its jurisdiction. According to Presidential Regulation No. 52/2010, Brimob’s duty is to handle riots, terrorism, and organized crime. In short, Brimob is the police “strike force,” meant for critical emergencies, not for roaming during times of peace, let alone acting with such high-handedness.

Mesias’ actions happened out of habit. He was deployed far too often for matters beyond his remit, creating a sense of entitlement to act however he pleased as a law enforcement officer. With paramilitary qualifications and combat training, he was transformed into a uniformed killer.

This is where the Police Reform Commission’s recommendations are vital. President Prabowo Subianto established this commission in response to the August 2025 protests. During those demonstrations, which ended in riots, a Brimob team driving a tactical vehicle ran over and killed an online motorcycle taxi driver. In the aftermath, police arrested over 1,000 activists across various regions on charges of incitement.

As the creator of the Reform Commission, Prabowo surely has a design to fix this institution. The police have caused too many problems that they are no longer “protectors and nurturers” but a source of public terror in everyday life, from roadside corruption and acting as “protector” to drug trafficking and political bias.

With so many problems in the police force, reform will not be easy. President Prabowo himself seems unsure where to start police reform. For example, instead of replacing National Police Chief Gen. Listyo Sigit Prabowo to signal presidential decisiveness, Prabowo awarded him the Bintang Mahaputera medal. This further reinforces the police’s corrupt behavior, as officers believe they have the backing of the country’s top leader.

Arianto’s death in Tual, police drug networks in Bima and Toraja, and major corruption involving police generals are undeniable reasons to fix the force from the roots: recruitment, structure, and mindset. It is time for a specialized overhaul of the police, for the rot is deep and vast.

Read the Complete Story in Tempo English Magazine

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