Government Establishes 6,500 Forestry Police Force for Safer Forests

RRI.CO.ID. Jakarta - Protecting Indonesia’s forests requires personnel who are well-trained, professional, and ready to face challenges in the field. For the first time, 583 participants of the 2026 Special Forestry Police Skills Training are being educated at the Community Policing Education Center of the Polri Education and Training Institute.

The training was officially opened on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, at 08.11–08.40 WIB at R. Oetomo Field by the Deputy Minister of Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, Rohmat Marzuki. This marks the initial step in strengthening capacity toward the target of training 6,500 Forestry Police in stages going forward.

Vice Minister of Forestry Rohmat Marzuki, expressed his appreciation to the National Police Chief, the Head of the Polri Education and Training Institute, and the Community Policing Directorate of Baharkam Polri for facilitating the program. He emphasized that this training is a crucial part of enhancing the competence of Forestry Police.

After completing the program, participants are expected to apply the skills they have learned to safeguard forest areas and their ecosystems, while also building collaboration with the TNI, Polri, and other law enforcement agencies to make forest protection more effective.

The 2026 Technical Implementing Skills Special Forestry Police Training uses an Outcome Based Education approach. Participants are not only required to understand the materials in class, but must also be able to apply them directly in the field. The curriculum covers four main competencies.

These include attitudes and values such as integrity, national character, human rights, code of ethics, discipline, and responsibility. It also includes knowledge of policing duties such as early detection, patrol, security, crime scene management, evidence handling, public order operations, regulations, and community partnership.

Basic skills taught are navigation and mapping, flora and fauna inspection, species identification and wildlife handling, forest fire control, effective communication, and report writing. Special skills include drill, firearms introduction, Polri self-defense, SAR and first aid, obstacle crossing, and mountaineering.

Head of the Polri Education and Training Institute, Commissioner General Pol. R. Z. Panca Putra, stated that education within the Polri environment provides relevant capability reinforcement for Forestry Police duties. According to him, Forestry Police cannot rely solely on forestry knowledge.

He said they must also be able to handle field conditions, understand procedures, manage evidence, process crime scenes, possess SAR capabilities, and coordinate with other law enforcement officials. He clarified that this training does not change the authority of Forestry Police, but rather strengthens their capacity so that forest protection and security tasks can be carried out professionally, measurably, and in accordance with prevailing laws and regulations.

The training of these 583 participants is the first phase of a larger program by the Ministry of Forestry. In line with the directive of the President of the Republic of Indonesia, the ministry will gradually train 6,500 Forestry Police. The Vice Minister hopes that cooperation with Polri will continue to be strengthened, not only in basic training but also in managerial education and further competency development. With a larger and better-trained force, forest area security is expected to be carried out more massively and systematically across Indonesia.

The strengthening of Forestry Police ultimately serves the interests of the wider community. A protected forest means better water sources, a more balanced ecosystem, preserved biodiversity, and safer living conditions for communities around forest areas. Challenges in the field cannot be handled by a single institution. It requires synergy among the Ministry of Forestry, Polri, TNI, regional governments, communities, and all law enforcement agencies according to their respective authorities.

The 583 participants currently undergoing training at the Polri Community Policing Education Center are the starting point of this long journey. They are being prepared as the frontline force to safeguard Indonesia’s forests and ensure their sustainability. With competency-based education and a spirit of cross-sector collaboration, the vision of a Safe Indonesian Forest, a preserved environment, and a protected future is becoming closer to reality.

Source : Polri Public Relations