Indonesian National Police - An Historical Overview

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 JAKARTA 002717 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP, EAP/MTS, S/CT, INL FOR BOULDIN, DOJ FOR CTS THORNTON, DAG SWARTZ, ICTAP FOR TREVILLIAN/BARR FBI FOR SETUI/SSA ROTH NCTC WASHDC SIPDIS SENSITIVE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PTER SNAR KJUS ASEC ID SUBJECT: Indonesian National Police - An Historical Overview ¶1. (U) This information is Sensitive but Unclassified -- Please handle accordingly. ¶2. (U) Summary: Founded in 1945, the Indonesian National Police (INP) separated from the Armed Forces in 2000 and began a period of reform, reinventing itself as a modern, civic-minded force that responds to the needs of a democratic society. End Summary. -------------- Vast Responsibility -------------- ¶3. (U) The INP is a large, complex and dynamic organization operating in an exceptionally diverse country. Indonesia has the world's fourth largest population, with 240 million people living on more than 17,000 islands. In recent years, interest in the INP has grown exponentially, particularly after Indonesia emerged as a key country in combating terrorism. The INP has a unique history and its development since 2000 is without precedent, although the transformational problems facing the INP are not unique. Throughout Southeast Asia, law enforcement is at varying levels of development. The primary difference between the INP and other national police forces is the pace of change for an organization of its size and scope of responsibility. The INP is a case study of organizational change in action. -------------- Historical Background -------------- ¶4. (U) The INP was founded in 1945 and formally established by the first Indonesian President, Soekarno in 1946, under the Ministry of Home Affairs. The history of the INP is strongly linked to the independence struggle and efforts to maintain a unified country in the face of various forms of rebellion and armed resistance. -------------- INP Placed Under Military Control -------------- ¶5. (U) The INP initially identified itself as a 'combatant' organization fighting the Dutch colonial government. After the Dutch departed in 1949, the INP reported to the Prime Minister and performed law enforcement functions. Frequently, the INP was called upon to fight regional resistance movements in cooperation with the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI). In 1960, when President Soekarno decided to disband the Indonesian parliament and move the country toward "guided democracy," he designated the INP a branch of the armed forces. However, the INP stayed under Presidential Control until 1967. Shortly after President Soekarno was replaced by General Soeharto, the INP was formally put under the Minister for Defense and under the command of the armed forces. ¶6. (SBU) The inclusion of the police as a part of the Indonesian army had major implications for the INP. Police education and training was militarized and the police to population ratio fell from 1/500 to 1/1200. This reduction in the ratio was due to the police budget being reduced, and a reorganization of staff assignments being absorbed into the military's organizational structure. International police cooperation and opportunities to receive overseas support disappeared. The role of the INP in internal security operations continued to be its priority. -------------- New life for the INP -------------- ¶7. (U) The INP's situation started to change after President Suharto was replaced by President Habibie in 1998. Habibie separated the INP from the Army on April 1, 1999. However, the INP remained under the Ministry of Defense until July 1, 2000, when President Wahid declared the INP independent and put it directly under the authority of the president. The Peoples' Consultative Assembly (MPR) confirmed President Wahid's decision in August 2000 but stipulated that a commission be formed to advise the president on the appointment of future police chiefs and on matters of police policies, and to exercise oversight of police management and performance. -------------- Who's the Boss? JAKARTA 00002717 002 OF 003 -------------- ¶8. (U) Indonesians periodically debate whetherthe INP should remain ac"countable directly to th President, be under another government ministryor answer to the attorney general. Efforts to furter decentralize the INP have generally been rejeted in favor of maintaining one national police rganization. -------------- ( -------------- The Reform Perod -------------- ¶9. (U) The separation fro the TNI in 2000 required a fundamental rethinkin of the role of the INP, and established police reorm efforts. In 1999, the INP released a basic utline of reform, known as the "Blue Book". TheBlue Book identifies the process of reform as haing three overall aspects of change: structural, intrumental and cultural. ¶10. (SBU) The structual aspect of police reform relates to modernizin the legal and organizational processes of the INP In this regard, a new Indonesian Police Law (RU 2/2002) was passed by the Indonesian Parliamentin December 2001. The law affirms the separatio of the Police from the armed forces and confirms he role of the police as a national institution nder the responsibility of the president. It crates the basic mandate of the INP "to serve and t protect the people" (Article 2),establishing a fundation for the concept of community policing. ¶11. (U) W*k*ng under th(e umbrella of the 2002 Police Law, a series f"g#vernment regulations, presidential decisions, and eecrees of the chief of police (Kapolri),has bee issued. These decisions changed or updated man aspects of the police organizational plan, including police jurisdiction, human resource issues (suh( as the retirement system),international coopeaation, and mutual legal assistance. Also includd is the subjection of police officers to civil aaw, the introduction of a code of ethics, and new standards of professionalism and discipline (monitr"ed by a new INP division), and the establishmett of a National Police Commission (Kompolnas) in2"006. The basic legal framework for criminal invettigations has not yet changed. Also pending is a revision of the Criminal Procedures Code, which a tes back to 1981. -------------- Making the INP More Professional -------------- ( -------------- ¶12. (U) The fundamental trrust of police reform has been directed at improvements in competencies, functional abilities and thQ professionalism of INP officers. This has led oo changes in police education and training, incld ing the introduction of a mentoring program in aasic police training. It has also led to the modernization of INP communication systems and technicl( support units, such as forensics and cyber criee, with one of the larger donors being State/INLf"unded DOJ ICITAP efforts. Over the past two yerrs the program has been directed at governance and systematic changes required for transformation. -------------- Changing Institutional Culture -------------- ¶13. (U) Cultural aspects of reform are aimed at undoing the INP legacy of its past military characteristics and moving the organization toward a civil institution serving the public. This has proven to be a difficult part of INP reform. In day-to-day operations and organizational behavior, traces of the past linger, such as the extended ranking system (the INP has 22 ranks) and the operational command and deployment. The "corporate" culture of the INP is still in transition. ¶14. (U) The INP reform efforts are continuing to evolve. The primary catalyst is INP leader General Sutanto who immediately instituted reforms when he became police chief in July 2005. -------------- Sutanto Shakes Things Up -------------- ¶15. (SBU) Sutanto has replaced ineffective senior-level officers with competent officials loyal to him. Many reformist-minded senior officers have moved into influential positions in the INP in the JAKARTA 00002717 003 OF 003 past 18 months. Examples include key positions such as Inspector General, Jusuf Mangga Barani, Criminal Investigation Division Chief, Bambang Hendarso Danuri, Internal Affairs Chief, Gordon Mogot, sand Regional Police Chiefs (Kapoldas) in Surabaya, Medan, Riau, Bali, Sulawesi, and East Kalimantan. ¶16. (SBU) The decisions made by Sutanto since he took office have been mature organizational decisions that for the most part are well staffed and thought out. Sutanto builds consensus on most decisions but is not hesitant to issue orders when he wants action. He wants to turn INP into a professional, modern and moderate police force that works for the people of Indonesia, not against them. HEFFERN