Police, KPAI bolster coordination to protect children from crime

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2 hours ago

Jakarta (ANTARA) – The National Police (Polri) and the Indonesian Child Protection Commission (KPAI) are stepping up coordination to protect children from crime, focusing on safeguarding victims and preventing involvement in offenses.

In a written statement received on Saturday, Polri Chief General Suyudi Ario Seto said child protection is a shared concern requiring prevention, education, and strict law enforcement against perpetrators of crimes involving minors, such as human trafficking, sexual violence, and drug abuse.

“Specialized handling of human trafficking, particularly involving children, is our shared concern. We are striving to safeguard and protect children from becoming victims,” Suyudi said.

The strengthened collaboration was discussed during a meeting between the Polri chief and KPAI leadership at the Polri Headquarters in Jakarta on Friday (November 6).

According to Suyudi, coordination between the two institutions is already underway, including mapping perpetrators through regional monitoring and cyber patrols.

These efforts, he added, are also directed at the digital space to prevent sexual exploitation and other forms of violence.

He noted that drug abuse is another threat that must be addressed, as children are vulnerable to both drug abuse and trafficking.

To strengthen coordination, he noted that Polri and the KPAI, together with other relevant ministries and agencies, are exploring the development of an application that can streamline inter-agency collaboration. The system is expected to support more effective handling of child protection cases.

Meanwhile, KPAI Deputy Chairman Jasra Putra said child protection in Indonesia requires law enforcement support grounded in a child protection perspective.

Key criminal issues of concern include child victims of narcotics, human trafficking, sexual violence, and physical and psychological abuse.

KPAI appreciated Police Chief Suyudi’s initiative to make child protection a primary focus.

Jasra expressed hope that child protection would remain a priority in Polri’s policies and operations, ensuring more effective prevention and handling of crimes against children.