Farouk Arnaz, Indonesia – With the National Police's reputation in tatters, an upcoming leadership change is being seen as an opportunity to help the force win back some of the trust it has lost following a series of public scandals.
Adnan Pandupraja, a member of the National Police Commission (Kompolnas), said on Tuesday that the next head of the force should have a spotless track record and be cleared to take up the post by the country's top graft and human rights watchdogs.
The term of the current National Police chief, Gen. Bambang Hendarso Danuri, will end on Oct. 10 and names are being canvassed for his replacement, who will then need to be appointed by the president before going before the legislature for approval.
Adnan said the candidates should be cleared for the job by the anti-money laundering agency PPATK, the National Commission on Human Right (Komnas HAM), the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) and the tax office.
"They must not have a poor record or a bad image with the public," Adnan said. Under the 2002 Police Law, Kompolnas is required to provide background information to the president during the process of appointing or dismissing a police chief.
"I don't know if there will be a candidate who meets our criteria. Whatever the result, we will give the names to the president and let him decide," Adnan said.
The National Police has come under heavy fire this year after a string of high-profile scandals. Its reputation received another blow after it came out with a tepid internal investigation into suspicious bank accounts held by some senior officers.
Adnan said the commission already had eight names to be forwarded as candidates. He declined to name them but did say most had already been floated by media outlets. "We still have enough time" to conduct the selection process, he said.
Media outlets have named National Police deputy chief Comr. Gen. Yusuf Manggabarani, National Police Internal Affairs chief Comr. Gen. Nanan Soekarna and chief of detectives Comr. Gen. Ito Sumardi as possible candidates.
Others who have been mentioned are South Sumatra Police chief Insp. Gen. Oegroseno, Jakarta Police chief Insp. Gen. Timur Pradopo, East Java Police chief Insp. Gen Pratiknyo, and Insp. Gen. Imam Sudjarwo and Insp. Gen. Bambang Suparno, who are both currently posted at the Police School.
"You will know who they are when we hold a fit-and-proper test for them. We will call each candidate to attend an open meeting," Adnan said.
A police source, who did not want to be identified, said Nanan Soekarna was the front-runner and it was his job to lose.
"Nanan is being kept behind the scenes because he talks too much. [They] want to reduce the possibility that he might say the wrong thing and create controversy," the source said.
Nanan topped his Police Academy graduating class in 1978. His career prospects were dampened when he was removed as North Sumatra Police chief in February 2009 following the death of the provincial legislative council speaker, Abdul Azis Angkat, who died of a heart attack during a protest police failed to control.
However, Nanan was quickly promoted to National Police spokesman and then again to three-star general when he was named head of the National Police's Internal Affairs division.