Police Reform: LBH Masyarakat Urges Involvement of Experts and Strengthening the Legal Basis of the Team

Jakarta, LiterasiHukum.com – President Prabowo Subianto's plan to form a reform team for the Indonesian National Police (Polri) has been positively welcomed by various groups, including the Legal Aid Law (LBH) Masyarakat. However, LBH Masyarakat emphasizes that the team should not only be filled by internal parties, but must involve a broad spectrum of expertise and representation from civil society to ensure that reforms are effective. Director of LBH Masyarakat, Albert Wirya, on Saturday (13/9/2025), expressed his view that the composition of this reform team is key to success. According to him, the involvement of legal academics and criminologists is essential to provide a theoretical foundation and in-depth analysis of the problems within the Police. Furthermore, Albert highlighted the importance of the participation of legal aid organizations and other civil society groups that have been vocal in criticizing the performance of the Police. "These organizations have direct experience in the field and often deal with law enforcement officials in various contexts, from law enforcement to issues of security and public order (kamtibmas)," Albert explained. This practical experience is considered to provide a real perspective and applicable solutions for the reform team.

The Importance of a Strong Legal Basis

In addition to the composition of members, Albert Wirya also underlined the urgency of the legal standing (The Battle) of the reform team itself. He argued that this team must be formed through a strong legal product, such as a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) or a Presidential Decree (Keppres). "Clear legality will ensure that the team can work optimally without facing resistance from within the police," he asserted. This solid legal foundation will give the team the necessary authority to conduct in-depth investigations and observations, including access to vital police facilities such as detention rooms, which is crucial for a thorough evaluation.

A Positive Response from the Palace

The discourse on the formation of this reform team emerged after a meeting between President Prabowo Subianto and national figures who are members of the Gerakan Nurani Bangsa at the Presidential Palace on Thursday (11/9/2025). Gomar Gultom, former General Chairperson of the Communion of Churches in Indonesia (PGI) who also attended, confirmed that President Prabowo approved the proposal to evaluate and reform the Police comprehensively. The President is even said to have an initial concept related to the reform. "The President will immediately form a police reform team or commission. So, in a sense, there is a positive response, what our friends have formulated will be carried out by the President," said Gultom. The main objective of this reform is to reorganize the leadership and policies within the Police, in order to prevent the recurrence of excessive actions that could potentially violate human rights and the constitutional rights of citizens. News Source: This article is the result of paraphrasing and development from a news report published by Tempo.co on September 14, 2025, with the original title "LBH Masyarakat Requests the Police Reform Team to Involve Various Experts."