Yuliasri Perdani, Jakarta – The Indonesian Ombudsman has found that police investigators, especially at district levels, are failing to fulfill their primary functions to investigate crimes.
Ombudsman member Budi Santoso said that of the 319 reports filed by members of the public between January and July, the majority concerned the police failing to respond to calls asking them to carry out investigations.
"With 319 public complaints, the National Police became the most targeted institution, lagging behind regional administrations," Budi said on Thursday.
The Ombudsman received complaints in 23 provinces, with North Sumatra, Central Java and East Java lodging the most complaints. One of the complaints concerned the unresolved murder of journalist Fuad Muhammad Syafruddin, also known as Udin.
Udin died after being assaulted at his house in Bantul, Yogyakarta, in 1996. Many believe that Udin was murdered because of his reports of malfeasance involving local government officials.
The Yogyakarta chapter of the Indonesian Journalists Association (PWI) alleged the Yogyakarta Police simply did not want to solve the case, especially given the mounting evidence that they could use to prosecute the case today.
Another complaint was filed in Nias, North Sumatra, where a 15-year-old girl was raped and impregnated by a member of her family.
Mandrehe police precinct initially declined to investigate the case, prompting the girl's family to file the case to the Nias Police. The Nias Police failed to immediately arrest the suspect, allowing the suspect to flee to Bandung, West Java.
Aside from crime investigations, Ombudsman chairman Danang Girindrawardana said people complained about administrative services provided by the police, in applying for driver licenses or licence plate registrations.
Based on the Ombudsman's investigation, police officials have allowed applicants licenses without taking driving tests, while only paying a Rp 180,000 (US$15) bribe.
The cost increases if applicants hire a middleman who can obtain licenses faster through their links in the police bureaucracy. Government regulation No. 50/2010 regulates that driving licenses cost between Rp 50,000 to Rp 120,000.
While acknowledging that such misconduct sometimes happened, National Police Traffic Corps (Korlantas) chief Insp. Gen. Pudji Hartanto defended his corps. He blamed applicants for bribing officers in charge of the test.
"Some citizens decline to play by the rules. They persuade and bribe police officers to make an exception for them," Pudji said.
Meanwhile, National Police Public Supervision Inspectorate chief Comr. Gen Imam Sudjarwo claimed that officials at regional police levels had follow up most of the complaints. "We have immediately responded to the complaints and strive to improve our performance," he said.
Imam noted it was reasonable that the National Police, given the size of the institution, received higher numbers of complaints.
"We have 1,200 units of work that provide services for all of citizens. It is normal that we receive so many complaints. We perceive these as the public's attention to the force," he said.