MATARAM (LE) – The West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Regional Police commemorated the 80th Bhayangkara Day with a ceremonial parade at Bhara Daksa Field, NTB Police Headquarters, on Thursday (July 1).
Held under the theme “80 Years of Service: The Indonesian National Police for the People,” the celebration featured tactical demonstrations by the Mobile Brigade (Brimob) and Water and Air Police (Polair), alongside a series of social, cultural, and community-based activities.
Lombokexpress.id observed that the event began with a ceremonial assembly attended by all police personnel, followed by performances from the Police Children Corps and a simulated operation demonstrating the arrest of violent street robbery suspects.
NTB Police Chief Inspector General Kalingga Rendra Raharja said the anniversary serves as an important opportunity for the Indonesian National Police to strengthen public services while enhancing operational readiness against potential security threats across the province.
“The demonstrations presented by Brimob and Polair personnel reflect the readiness of the police to safeguard security throughout West Nusa Tenggara,” he said.
He noted that the exercises also highlighted the force’s preparedness to respond to various criminal threats, including the so-called 3C crimes—aggravated theft, violent robbery, and motor vehicle theft—as well as to carry out law enforcement whenever necessary.
Beyond tactical displays, the NTB Police also organized competitions highlighting local cultural values. These included an Islamic call to prayer (adhan) competition and a Muslim funeral shrouding contest involving both police officers and members of the public.
According to Kalingga, the events were designed not merely as competitions but as part of the force’s capacity-building efforts in serving the community.
“The funeral shrouding competition reflects local values. In the future, we hope police officers will be able to assist communities in handling and burying unidentified deceased persons in accordance with Islamic rites whenever needed,” he explained.
Tourism promotion also formed part of the anniversary celebrations through a decorated cidomo (traditional horse-drawn carriage) competition on Gili Trawangan. Kalingga said the initiative was intended to support NTB’s tourism industry while improving the skills of local carriage drivers.
“Foreign tourists responded enthusiastically. We hope this event will continue to promote tourism development and attract more visitors to West Nusa Tenggara,” he added.
Looking ahead, Kalingga emphasized that as the Indonesian National Police enters its 80th year, it will place greater emphasis on preventive and pre-emptive policing rather than relying primarily on law enforcement.
“The reflection of our 80 years of service is that the police must continue to prioritize serving, protecting, and assisting the public. Prevention, early detection, and community engagement will remain our priorities, while law enforcement will continue to serve as the last resort in accordance with the law,” he said.
He also stressed that maintaining public security cannot be achieved by the police alone. Therefore, the force will continue strengthening partnerships with religious leaders, traditional leaders, community figures, and other stakeholders through community policing initiatives.
“A close relationship between the police and the public is the key. Security is a shared responsibility, and we will continue to build strong cooperation with every element of society to ensure that West Nusa Tenggara remains safe and secure,” Kalingga concluded. (can)
Caption:
Director of Radar Mandalika and Chairman of the Indonesian Cyber Media Association (SMSI) of West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), H. Abdus Syukur, M.H., shakes hands with NTB Police Chief Inspector General Kalingga Rendra Raharja during the 80th Bhayangkara Day celebration at the NTB Police Headquarters in Mataram on Wednesday, July 1, 2026. (Fotografer: susan/ntbnow.co)
