The Head of the Public Relations Division of the National Police, Inspector General Argo Yuwono, said about the principles of policing in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic. Among them are, a more personal relationship with the community, proactively monitoring and serving the community with relevant stakeholders.
"Being a problem solver, building effective communication with the community, equality between Polri developers and the community, accountability, establishing good partnerships between Polri and stakeholders and the community, transparency of accurate information as a hoax-buster, Polri and community participation in handling Covid-19 ," said Argo in a written statement, Jakarta, Friday (23/7/2021).
Not only that, Argo said that in implementing PPKM Level 4, the police must ensure that the community's economy must continue to run according to health protocols.
"The police's job is to ensure that all provisions during PPKM 4 are complied with according to regulations, but do not always act coercively. It must not kill the economy but ensure that transactions between communities are ensured according to health procedures," said Argo.
Argo emphasized that the police need to understand their role as frontliners who respond first to emergencies and consciously need to adopt disaster management-including disaster risk reduction-as a solution. In addition, said Argo, the current condition of economic growth tends to be volatile but still shows an upward trend.
"PPKM is a logical aspect to suppress the spread of Covid-19. Supported by vaccinations to increase the immune system. Vaccination data shows that even though it is not optimal, there is an increasing trend in the number of vaccinations," said Argo.
According to Argo, the role of the National Police in assisting the Government in tackling Covid-19 is by conducting socialization and education on the 5M program, distributing social assistance and distributing masks, and conducting judicial procedures for health care discipline.
Then, implementing 3T, blocking PPKM, law enforcement, supporting Covid-19 vaccination, mentoring.
At the same time, the FPSI UI Professor of Social Psychology, Hamdi Muluk, said that the role of the National Police with a new paradigm in this Pandemic period was community policing whose success factors included the support and commitment of the Police, reducing the power oriented culture, having servant leadership, community trust, community skills, assessment, communication, networking and affective commitment from Babinkamtibmas members.
"Community Education at the Micro Level
Because the focus of handling covid is micro units, villages/kels, RT/RW, Bhabinkamtibmas must have a communication network in the community. Creating a communication network pattern and collaboration with other stakeholders down to the RT level," he said.
Meanwhile, UNJ Sociology Lecturer Robertus Robert said, this pandemic could be overcome with 4 things, namely leadership plays an important role in making policies to overcome the pandemic, strong medical authorities prioritize the scientific approach.
Then, community participation becomes important to maintain the effectiveness of Government policies. Community participation is built based on trust, the ability to build international cooperation, because this pandemic is global, international cooperation must be built.
"The police need to understand their role as frontliners who respond first to emergencies. The police need to adopt disaster management, including disaster risk reduction as a solution. In the era of the pandemic, the police need to apply soft skills through effective communication and coordination," he said.
Economist Director of SKSG UI, Athor Subroto explained, "The National Economic Recovery (PEN) from the Pandemic, what must be strived for is that the benchmark interest rate is kept low, it is hoped that it can be further suppressed to maintain investment.
"Pandemic control, making peace with the situation, increasing hospital capacity, this is the most urgent thing to increase Bed and Oxygen, accelerate vaccination or Herd Immunity," he said.
PPKM can be relaxed to maintain the momentum of economic growth including, Fiscal Stimulus (Tax Incentives), Cast Transfer (Cash Assistance), In Kind Transfer (Bansos) and Infrastructure Development
On the other hand, Epidemiologist and Public Health Expert at the University of Derby, UK, Dono Widiatmoko, stated that the Covid-19 virus will not go away, but learning from the history of the pandemic, evolution will still happen. However, we don't know where COVID-19 will mutate.
"Vaccination is important to train our bodies against viruses that will enter our bodies. This prevents worse impact conditions and reduces the risk of death after exposure to the Covid-19 Virus. PPKM is a logical aspect to suppress the spread of Covid-19. The Covid-19 pandemic is prevention which is an important task for the Police," he concluded.
