Reconciling Legal Certainty and Justice in Indonesian Police Law Enforcement
Polda Sulawesi Utara
Universitas Bhayangkara Surabaya
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56943/jlte.v5i2.1121This study analyses how the Indonesian National Police (Polri) enforces the law from the perspective of legal certainty and justice, and examines police discretion as an instrument for balancing both principles in practice. This study uses normative legal research with statutory, conceptual, and analytical approaches. Legal materials were collected through a literature review of legislation, legal doctrines, journal articles, judicial decisions, and related legal literature. The materials were then analysed qualitatively using a descriptive-analytical method. The findings show that legal certainty and justice must be balanced in every exercise of police law enforcement authority. The implementation of these principles is reflected in the exercise of police discretion, particularly under Article 18 of Law Number 2 of 2002 on the Indonesian National Police. Nevertheless, police discretion still faces challenges identified in the literature, namely the absence of uniform standards, the potential for abuse of authority, institutional pressure toward quantitative targets, and weak internal and external oversight. The study therefore recommends strengthening guidelines for police discretion, improving police professionalism, enhancing oversight, and harmonising legal certainty with substantive justice so that law enforcement can provide legal protection, serve the public interest, and strengthen public trust in the Indonesian National Police.
Keywords: Legal Certainty Justice Police Discretion Law Enforcement Indonesian National Police
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