JAKARTA, BALINEWS – Indonesia's National Police Headquarters is expected to issue an official statement regarding reports that several senior police officers were taken into custody by the Police Professional and Security Division (Propam) on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
National Police Public Relations Division Chief Inspector General Johnny Eddizon Isir confirmed that the division would hold a press briefing on Tuesday afternoon or early evening. However, he did not disclose the specific subject matter of the planned announcement.
Isir made the statement while accompanying National Police Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto during a visit to the Indonesian Bishops' Conference (KWI) office in Central Jakarta on Tuesday afternoon.
"Regarding the context and developments that you may have questions about, our Public Relations Division will hold a press briefing later this afternoon or early evening," Isir told reporters.
Police Yet to Confirm Reports of Senior Officers Being Detained
Despite promising an official briefing, Isir did not clarify whether the press conference would specifically address reports that several senior police officials had been detained by Propam.
When journalists pressed him for further details, he again asked them to wait for an official explanation from the National Police Public Relations Division.
"We will hold a press briefing at the Public Relations Division later," he said.
As of Tuesday, the National Police Headquarters had neither officially confirmed nor denied reports that several senior officers had been questioned or taken into custody.
Reports Involving Four-Star General Identified as 'L' Emerge
Earlier, reports circulated widely suggesting that several Indonesian police generals had been taken into custody by the National Police's Professional and Security Division for internal questioning.
According to information attributed to internal sources, a four-star police general identified only by the initial L was reportedly taken in for questioning before subsequently being released.
Several other senior police officers were also reportedly questioned as part of the internal process.
The reports later became linked to allegations of surveillance activities targeting senior government officials.
However, no official statement has yet confirmed the identity of the four-star general identified as L, the number of officers reportedly questioned, or the precise nature of the internal investigation.
Police Analyst Urges National Police Chief to Explain Situation
The growing public attention surrounding the reports has prompted a response from police analyst Bambang Rukminto of the Institute for Security and Strategic Studies (ISESS).
Bambang urged the National Police Chief to provide an immediate explanation to prevent speculation and unverified information from spreading further.
"The National Police Chief must explain the situation to the public as soon as possible so that the developing issue does not spiral out of control and ultimately undermine the chief's own programs," Bambang said.
He described the allegations of surveillance targeting government officials as a serious matter because they potentially involve the confidentiality of sensitive information and the country's national security system.
He called on the National Police Headquarters to provide transparent information, including who allegedly conducted the surveillance, which officials were targeted, when the activities took place, and what motives may have been involved.
"The National Police Headquarters must be completely clear and transparent. Allegations of surveillance targeting government officials are extremely serious because they concern state confidentiality as well as the national security system," he said.
Calls for Comprehensive Internal Police Review
Bambang further argued that the issue should not be treated merely as an alleged violation involving individual officers.
If the allegations are substantiated, he said, the National Police should conduct a comprehensive review of its internal oversight mechanisms and institutional procedures to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
"Reducing this issue to merely an individual problem could create the potential for similar cases to happen again. That is because there would be no more substantial and systemic improvements," he added.
Public Awaits Official Police Statement
Public attention is now focused on the press briefing promised by the National Police Public Relations Division for Tuesday afternoon or early evening.
The public is awaiting an official explanation from the National Police Headquarters to address questions surrounding the reported detention of several generals, including claims involving a four-star officer identified only by the initial L.
For now, the reports remain unconfirmed, and the identities and legal status of the individuals mentioned have yet to be officially established.
The principle of the presumption of innocence must be upheld, and any allegations should be treated with caution until verified through proper investigative and legal procedures.
