Police must foster close relations with and get involved in the community to regain public trust, chief of the National Police's Security Maintenance Agency (Kabaharkam), Police Commissioner General Fadil Imran, has said.
"To regain trust, police need to be present in the community, and true power is not power in authority," he said during a meeting with the House of Representatives here on Monday.
The real power of the police lies in closeness with the public, he added.
According to him, public trust in the National Police peaked in 2021, when the COVID-19 pandemic was still raging in the country.
During that time, police personnel were always present in the community to deliver medicines and staples from the government, help transport sick people to hospitals, and hold vaccination events, Imran noted.
"The police should come as a protector, helper, and friend. That's what crime prevention and police is all about," he said.
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Indonesian society has "high-context communication characteristics," which require high social sensitivity to unite and build an understanding of each other, he added.
Hence, he said, face-to-face communication is still very relevant and necessary, even in the digital era.
"Moreover, the feeling of being secure is a matter of perception," he added.
According to him, many people still feel unsafe when they do not see police officers around, even in the absence of crime.
Imran emphasized that the presence of police in the community remains very important.
"The police must be (involved) in the community, synergize with and mobilize them, and do problem-solving so that the area becomes safe," he said.
He stressed that the police are not present to just arrest as many people as possible and put them behind bars. Rather, their job is to prevent crimes and prioritize humanistic approaches, he added.
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