Nandito Putra, Jakarta – Following a series of recent police shootings, the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission III will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the use of firearms by police officers.
"We will initiate a special evaluation regarding the use of firearms [by police personnel]," stated Habiburokhman, Chair of Commission III, during a press conference at the Parliament Complex in Senayan, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
These recent incidents, including the shooting of a police officer in South Solok, West Sumatra, the fatal shooting of a vocational school student in Semarang, Central Java, and the alleged murder of a resident in Central Kalimantan, have raised serious concerns among the public regarding the use of firearms by police officers.
In South Solok, West Sumatra, this incident occurred on Friday morning, November 22, 2024.
In the Semarang incident two days later, a police officer fatally shot a vocational school student. Despite receiving medical treatment at Dr. Kariadi Semarang Central General Hospital, the student succumbed to his injuries.
Three days later on Wednesday, November 27, a police officer is suspected of murdering a resident in Central Kalimantan. According to Senior Commissioner Erlan Munaji, Head of Public Relations of the Central Kalimantan Police, the alleged murder occurred during an attempted car theft. "The police are still investigating the cause of the victim's death," he said.
Habiburokhman acknowledged that these cases have become a public highlight and a problem in the police institution. However, he emphasized that these cases represent the actions of individual officers and do not reflect the conduct of the entire police force.
"These were isolated incidents, mistakes made by individual officers," he remarked.
Habiburokhman said that he will convene a meeting with the Chief of the National Police and his staff to discuss the details of the forthcoming evaluation of police firearm use. He stopped short of elaborating on the specific scope or methodology of this evaluation.
He did not answer explicitly whether the DPR is pushing for restrictions on firearms by the police, assessing that police still need weapons for self-protection.
"The police require firearms for self-defense against threats such as terrorism and robbery. How can we ensure public safety if the police are not adequately protected?" said the Gerindra politician.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/1953843/dpr-to-evaluate-police-use-of-firearms-following-recent-shooting