A cop in Indonesia is being lauded across the country for expressing sympathy in the treatment of a detainee.
Yesterday, a video went viral depicting a small girl struggling to hug her dad, who was behind bars at the Maro Sebo Police Station in Muaro Jambi Regency, Jambi Province. The officer on guard duty at the time, Handoko, opened the jail cell so that the father and daughter could have a proper embrace and playtime, while the cop captured the heartwarming moment on film.
Speaking to Detik yesterday, Handoko said the video was taken on Saturday evening when the detainee’s daughter came to visit. The detainee, named Aceng, was recently arrested for theft, but Handoko noted that he had been well-behaved throughout his time in jail.
“[Aceng] also occasionally becomes the imam (leader) of group prayers among detainees,” Handoko said.
“I couldn’t contain my sadness seeing him wanting to hug his daughter but with the iron bars in their way. So I opened the cell door for a moment so he could embrace his daughter under my supervision.”
The National Police said Handoko did not violate any detention protocols.
“[It is permissible] to allow the detainee to meet with his daughter if the officer is certain that the detainee does not pose a risk for harm nor escape,” National Police spokesman Ahmad Ramadhan said.
Indonesian cops do not enjoy the best of reputations, as they are accused of regularly extorting bribes from the public, being involved in the drugs trade, heavy-handed law enforcement, murder, as well as being embroiled in numerous high-profile corruption cases. The rare exceptions to the rule often receive widespread praise.
One such notable good cop is Seladi, who went viral a few years ago for scavenging trash to supplement his meager salary and refusing to solicit or accept bribes in his more than 40-year career in the force.
