Articles
DOI DOI: 10.62441/actainnovations.v63i.1371

PUBLIC ORDER POLICING AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN CONFLICT-PRONE REGIONS: THE CASE OF WAROPEN REGENCY, PAPUA

Angela Ripka Hawar 1, Dede Sri Kartini 1, Nandang Alamsah Deliarnoor2, Novie Indrawati Sagita 1, Peter Wallensteen 3
  1. 1 Program Pascasarjana Ilmu Pemerintahan, Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia.
  2. 2 Program Pascasarjana Ilmu Pemerintahan, Fakultas Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung, Indonesia.
  3. 3 Uppsala Universitet, Sweden.

Abstract

When democratic governments face the difficult task of enforcing a balance between the needs of national security and the protection of civil rights in areas prone to conflict, the task becomes even more daunting for law enforcement agencies. This study examines the function of the Waropen District Police (Polres Waropen) in upholding security and public order in Papua, Indonesia, specifically with the oversight of non-violent political factions promoting self-determination. This research examines the persistent conflict between securitized policing methods and the tenets of democratic policing in an area marked by historical grievances, political strife, and socio-economic disparities. Data were gathered through in-depth interviews with police officials, community leaders, religious figures, political actors, and civil society members, employing a qualitative descriptive design. The findings indicate that policing operations in Waropen are predominantly shaped by a security-oriented perspective that frequently categorizes nonviolent political activities as potential threats to national integrity. This perspective has led to difficulties in applying human rights standards, accountability systems, organizational neutrality, and conflict-sensitive policing. The study reveals that community-oriented policing and soft-approach techniques have yielded favorable results by fortifying police-community connections, augmenting public trust, and diminishing the sway of political criminal organizations without exacerbating tensions. This study enhances the democratic policing literature by offering actual evidence from Papua and suggesting a contextual governance framework that incorporates human security, democratic accountability, and community collaboration. The findings indicate that police reform in conflict-affected areas must emphasize human rights capacity building, institutional oversight, and participatory security governance to promote lasting peace and democratic legitimacy.

How to Cite

Hawar , A. R., Kartini , D. S., Deliarnoor, N. A., Sagita , N. I., & Wallensteen , P. (2026). PUBLIC ORDER POLICING AND DEMOCRATIC GOVERNANCE IN CONFLICT-PRONE REGIONS: THE CASE OF WAROPEN REGENCY, PAPUA. ACTA INNOVATIONS, 63, 1231–1239. https://doi.org/10.62441/actainnovations.v63i.1371
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