Municipal Police (Indonesia) Explained

Agency Name:Municipal Police Unit
Native Name:Indonesian: Satuan Polisi Pamong Praja
Formed:3 March 1950 (first unit in Yogyakarta)
Motto:Praja Wibawa
(Guardian by authority)
Jurisdiction: (vary by locality)
Region Code:ID
Minister1 Name:Tito Karnavian
Minister1 Pfo:(Minister of Home Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia)

The Municipal Police Unit (Indonesian: Polisi Pamong Praja||Public Servants Police or Country / City Administrators Police,[1] or translated as "Public Order Enforcers[2] Police" or simply 'Municipal Police',[3] abbreviated as Satpol PP), are municipal police units throughout Indonesia which are under the control of the local governments of each province, city, and regency (Kabupaten). Its purpose is to assist regional heads (provincial governors, city mayors and/or regents) in enforcing regional regulations and administering public order and public security, the Satpol PP is formed in every province, city, and/or regency. It is under the auspices of the Ministry of Home Affairs.[4]

Function and authority

Function

According to the Government Regulation No. 6 of 2010 regarding the Satuan Polisi Pamong Praja, its functions are:

  1. preparing and implementing regional regulations enforcement, implementation of public order, public security and protection of the community;
  2. enforcing policies of the regional regulations and regional head regulations;
  3. administer public and community order in the regions;
  4. implementing community protection policies;
  5. implementing coordination in the enforcement of regional regulations and regional head regulations, implementation of public order and public security in coordination with the Indonesian National Police (Polri), regional Civil Servant Investigative agencies, and/or other apparatus;
  6. supervising the community, apparatus, or legal entities in order to comply with the regional regulations and regional head regulations; and
  7. implementing other duties mandated and/or instructed directly by the regional head (governor, mayor and/or regent)

Authority

  1. carry out non-judicial enforcement actions towards the public, officials, or legal entities that violate the local regulations
  2. take action against the public, civil apparatus, or legal entities that disturb and create nuisance to the public order and security;
  3. carry out investigations towards members of the public, apparatus, or legal entities that are suspected of violating the regional regulations and/or regional head regulations; and
  4. carry out administrative actions towards members of the public, apparatus, or legal entities that are suspected of violating the regional regulations and/or regional head regulations.[5]

Differences with the National Police (Polri)

There has been some confusion and mix-up about the roles and responsibilities of the municipal police units and the Indonesian National Police among the general public. Generally, the municipal police enforces the policies and laws of the local government's regulation, therefore answering to their respective area's head of government. Meanwhile, the Indonesian National Police enforces the Indonesian national constitutional laws and regulations. Both acts as law enforcement agencies but the Satpol PP report to the local governor, mayor and/or regent, meanwhile the Indonesian National Police reports to the Chief of the Indonesian National Police (Kapolri) which then is responsible to the President.

Operationally, both law enforcement institutions coordinate with each other in implementing law enforcement duties throughout Indonesia. Arrests made towards members of the public suspected of breaking any law concerned with the constitution of the country is done by the Indonesian National Police, the Satpol PP meanwhile may arrest people in a situational scenario but has to hand it over to the police. The Satpol PP are not armed meanwhile the police are armed. Generally, the police has more authority than the Satpol PP in the area of law enforcement.

Controversy

In 2010, a controversial decree by Gamawan Fauzi (then Minister of Home Affairs), allows members of the unit to be armed with gas-powered revolvers or blanks, electric shock sticks, and baton for riots and crowd control.[6]

Ranks and insignia

The municipal and regional units and their personnel, which come from the civil service of local governments, form the police arm of the wider Employees' Corps of the Republic of Indonesia (Korps Pegawai Republik Indonesia), the state trade union of civil service staff, and thus wear insignia similar to those used by the civil service while wearing the Ceremonial uniform (PDU), service uniform (PDH), and field uniform (PDL). They wear brown shoulder boards with the service uniform and gold in the ceremonial dress uniform, with red piping used by senior ranked personnel in command billets. In addition, they wear the brown beret regardless of uniform.

Rank category Rank category numberRank in IndonesianEquivalent rank
(with US General Schedule and UK Civil Service paygrade)
Rank in English
(Municipal Police personnel only)
Directors and CommissionersIV/ePembina UtamaDirector General
Senior Executive Service Level V,
Pay Band 3 A7
Director
IV/dPembina Utama MadyaDirector
Senior Executive Service Level V
Pay Band 2 A7
Chief Commissioner
IV/cPembina Utama MudaDeputy Director
GS-15,
Pay Band 2 A6
Commander
IV/bPembina Tingkat IAssistant Director
GS-14,
Grade 6 A5
Senior Commissioner
IV/aPembinaSenior Executive Officer 1st class
GS-14, Grade 7 A4
Commissioner
Subaltern and Field ranked officersIII/dPenata Tingkat ISenior Executive Officer 2nd class
GS-13, Grade 7 A3
Chief Superintenent
III/cPenataHigher Executive Officer 1st Class
GS-12, Grade 7 A2
Superintendent
III/bPenata Muda Tingkat IHigher Executive Officer
GS-11, A2
Chief Inspector
InspectorsIII/aPenata MudaExecutive Officer 1st class
GS-10, A2/B6
Inspector
Senior clerical officialsII/dPengatur Tingkat IExecutive Officer 2nd class
GS-9, A1/B6
Sub-inspector
II/cPengatur Executive Officer
GS-8, A1/B5
Brigadier Major
Middle level clerical officialsII/bPengatur Muda Tingkat IAdministrative Officer Class 1
GS-7, B4
Brigadier 1st Class
II/aPengatur Muda Administrative Officer Class 2
GS-6, B4
Senior Brigader
Junior clerical officialsI/dJuru Tingkat IHigher Clerical Officer 1st class
GS-5, B3
Brigadier
I/cJuruHigher Clerical Officer
GS-4/GS-3, B3
Junior Brigadier
I/bJuru Muda Tingkat IClerical Officer
GS-2, B2
Senior Constable
I/aJuru MudaAdministrative Assistant
GS-1, B1
Constable

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ayesha . Laiqa . Hari Pamong Praja 8 September: Simak Sejarah, Tugas dan Fungsinya . 2023-10-02 . detikjabar . id-ID.
  2. Book: Dina Afrianty . Women and Sharia Law in Northern Indonesia: Local Women's NGOs and the Reform of Islamic Law in Aceh . 2015 . London . Routledge . 978-1-138-81936-8 . 189 . en.
  3. Web site: cpiet . 2021-07-25 . The Indonesian National Police Explains the Difference Between the Investigation Authority of the Police and the Municipal Police . 2023-10-02 . INP Indonesian Natinonal Police . en-US.
  4. News: Dani Prabowo . 7 May 2015 . Mendagri Cukup Miliki Satpol PP Saja, Tak Perlu Polisi . id . Minister of Home Affairs is to just control the Municipal police, no need of the National Police . Kompas.com . Bayu Galih . 21 March 2022.
  5. Constitution of Indonesia Number 23 Year 2014 Article 255 (Pasal 255 Undang-undang Nomor 23 tahun 2014)
  6. News: 11 July 2010 . 'Satpol Must Not Be Armed' . The Jakarta Post . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100716193332/http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2010/07/11/%E2%80%98satpol-must-not-be-armed%E2%80%99.html . 16 July 2010.