July 1 marks the 80th commemoration of Bhayangkara Day (National Police Day) as well as the 28th anniversary of the National Police (Polri) reform mandate as one of the demands of the reformasi 1998 movement – the political reform movement that began in 1998.

Bhayangkara Day should be a momentum to mark the realisation of the commitment to police reform which would give birth to a civil police institution that is increasingly professional, democratic and upholds human rights. Ironically however, the National Police have failed to carry out the structural reform agenda within the institution

The police have instead actually moved away from the reform mandate and frequently ignore the principles of democracy, rule of law and human rights. The police still continue to perpetuate a militaristic culture, impunity, discrimination in law enforcement, practices of power abuse, holding concurrent positions and are shamelessly involved in politics and business.

Not only that, the police have even become the backers for serious crimes such as in handling narcotics cases, KKN (corruption, collusion, nepotism), human trafficking, abuse of authority, use of excessive force, violence, torture, repression of people's freedom of opinion and expression, repression of press freedom and basic problems related to transparency and accountability in carrying out their duties and functions.

Several cases such as the fatal Kanjuruhan soccer stamped tragedy, the high-profile murder case involving former police Inspector General Ferdy Sambo, the killing of motorcycle taxi driver (ojol) Affan Kurniawan by a police tactical vehicle, the August 2025 protests and riots tragedy, the Vina Cirebon murder case, the extra judicial killing of Gamma Rizkynata Oktavandy in Semarang and Afif Maulana in Padang, and the sexual harassment female rape victims in Southwest Sumba, East Nusa Tenggara (2025), are clear evidence of the failure of reform within an institutions that was born from the reformasi movement.

The administration of President Prabowo Subianto and Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka and the national House of Representatives (DPR RI) have played a major role in the failure of police reform. The public's demands after the August 2025 tragedy to carry out changes within the National Police through limiting authority and strengthening the police supervision system have actually been distorted. Instead the President and the DPR RI were actually reckless in passing problematic revisions to the Criminal Procedural Law (KUHAP) and the Police Law.

The new KUHAP gives enormous authority to the police without adequate control. This position will further open space for abuse of authority and corruption. In ratifying the revision of the National Police Law, it even shamelessly violated People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) Decree Number VI and VII of 2000 as well as the ruling by the Constitutional Court.

Constitutional Court ruling Number 114/PUU-XXIII/2025 strictly prohibits active police members from holding positions outside the National Police institution, unless they have resigned or retired permanently. In addition, Constitutional Court ruling Number 145/PUU-XXIV/2026 also emphasises the prohibition on police holding concurrent civil positions that are not related to police duties. However, the revision of the Police Law actually straddled these constitutional restrictions and further distanced the police from the mandate of reformasi.

Through these two regulations, the police are increasingly vulnerable to being politicised as a tool of power. The huge authority that the police currently have lacks transparency and accountability. In the context of law enforcement, monopoly of investigative and discretionary authority is given without adequate control.

Concurrent positions without resignation in all ministries/state institutions are actually legitimised, even though this clearly violates the Constitution. The paradox that has occurred is not an improvement but a setback that has been presented. The monitoring system is weakened. The destruction of independence was carried out through the politicisation of police officer positions and the National Police chief's continued position that was legitimised through the extension of the term of office.

In addition, the National Police now exercise a multifunctional authority. Starting from maintaining investment, implementing food security programs, building and managing Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) kitchens to run the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, to being given the red carpet to be involved in the affairs of ministries and institutions without exception.

Based on the above situation and taking into account the important position of the National Police as an institution that was born from the civil society movement and has a very important constitutional role in upholding law, democracy and protecting human rights, the Civil Society Coalition for Police Reform (RFP) urges that:

1. The President stop the empty talk and lying in carrying out police reform. Return the police to its constitutional mandate as a state tool to protect and safeguard the ordinary people, not a political tool of the power of the regime and oligarchy;

2. The President revokes and stops the practice of police holding concurrent positions. Return the police to the post of security, order and law enforcement;

3. The President end the politicisation and police business practices which make the police unprofessional and lack independence;

4. The President build an independent, impartial, accountable and effective internal and external police monitoring system to eliminate impunity;

5. The President change the militaristic system and culture within the National Police by building a democratic culture and human rights approach in police work;

6. The President and DPR RI cancel the revision of the National Police Law and revise the KUHAP to limit the authority of the police and strengthen transparency and accountability through public control;

7. The DPR RI carry out the function of representing the people through monitoring and correcting police performance, rather than being a representative council for the regime;

8. The DPR RI evaluates and corrects the position of the National Police under the President and limits the National Police chief's term in office;

9. The DPR RI conducts audits and limits the National Police budget to ensure transparency and accountability; and

10. The public continues to speak out and urge National Police reform.

Jakarta, July 1, 2026
Civil Society Coalition for Police Reform (RFP)

The RFP consists of the Indonesian Corruption Watch (ICW), the Indonesian Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI), the Indonesian Legal Aid and Human Rights Association (PBHI), the Commission for Missing Persons and Victims of Violence (Kontras), the Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI), the Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (ICJR), the Centre for Legal and Policy Studies (PSHK), the Indonesian Judicial Research Society (IJRS), the Jakarta Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Jakarta), the Community Legal Aid Foundation (LBH Masyarakat), the Southeast Asia Freedom of Expression Network (SAFEnet), the Kurawal Foundation and a number of other civil society organisations.

[Translated by James Balowski. The original title of the article was "80 Tahun Polri, Gagal Reformasi (Hari Bhayangkara 2026)".]

Source: https://ylbhi.or.id/informasi/siaran-pers/80-tahun-polri-gagal-reformasi-hari-bhayangkara-2026