TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has bestowed the "Bhayangkara Utama Star" on National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian based on the merit of his devotion to the police institution.
The Bhayangkara Utama Star from the president was conferred by Coordinating Minister for Political, Law and Security Affairs Wiranto in the main conference room of the national police headquarters on Friday.
"President Jokowi bestowed the honor of the Bhayangkara Utama Star on the national police chief as a reward for the latters great services, accompanied by his courage, wisdom, and incredible fortitude beyond the call of duty to ensure the progress and development of the police institution," National Police Public Relations Division Chief Inspector General Boy Fafli Amar said.
He noted that the Bhayangkara Utama Star is the highest award given by the president to members of the police with outstanding achievements.
"It is a remarkable achievement for a police officer who is deemed meritorious in advancing the police institution," Amar said.
President Jokowi in July this year appointed Commissioner General Karnavian to succeed General Badrodin Haiti as the new national police chief.
The president officially appointed him the new police chief at the State Palace here at 2 p.m. local time on Wednesday, based on Presidential Decree No.48/Polri/2016 on the dismissal and appointment of the police chief.
After being sworn in, Karnavian signed the paperwork accepting his role as chief of police in the presence of the coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs.
At the time, the president expressed hope that Karnavian would be able to boost the image and prestige of the national police.
Karnavian, previously chief of the National Counter-Terrorism Agency, joined the police academy in 1987 and had earlier held several similar posts, including that of the Jakarta police chief and the head of the Special Detachment 88 counter-terrorism squad.
Born in Palembang, South Sumatra Province, on October 26, 1964, Karnavian graduated from Exeter University in Great Britain and earned his masters degree in police studies in 1993.
In 1998, Karnavian graduated from Massey University in Auckland, New Zealand, with Strategic Studies as his major. Later, Karnavian earned his PhD from the Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University, in Singapore in 2013.
Karnavian rose to prominence during his term with the Police Special Detachment 88, which succeeded in neutralizing notorious terrorist leaders, such as Azhari Husin and Noordin M. Top.
ANTARA
