The Legal Nature of The Police Code of Ethics in Preventing Abuse of Authority in Indonesia

Abstract

The police institution plays a central role in law enforcement and public order maintenance in a constitutional state. However, the concentration of discretionary power within policing functions creates a persistent risk of abuse of authority. This study examines the legal nature of the Indonesian Police Code of Ethics as an internal normative mechanism intended to prevent abuses of power by police officers. Using a normative legal research approach combined with conceptual and doctrinal analysis, this article argues that the Police Code of Ethics in Indonesia functions primarily as a moral–institutional framework rather than an autonomous legal control system. The absence of clear normative boundaries between ethical violations, disciplinary misconduct, and criminal liability has resulted in legal ambiguity and selective enforcement. This condition undermines legal certainty, equality before the law, and public trust in law enforcement institutions. The article concludes that the Police Code of Ethics requires structural reinforcement, normative harmonization, and procedural integration with criminal justice mechanisms to ensure accountability and the rule of law.