inp.polri.go.id – Jakarta. Professor of international law at the University of Indonesia (UI), Professor Hikmahanto Juwana, assessed that the Indonesian National Police (Polri) currently looks more professional at the age of 76. He then stated, that the professionalism of the Police will be tested during the election period. "Polri have become more professional. However, the Police must be wary of being used as a political instrument," said Hikmahanto, Saturday (2/7/2022). During the election period, reports of defamation between parties involved in the contestation are prone to occur. "Especially during the regional and presidential elections, when people often reported the police about defamation," Hikmahanto added. Hikmahanto advised that the professionalism that is being worked on by the National Police Chief (Kapolri), General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, should not be undermined by the ranks. "Don't let the police’s professionalism be tainted by the members, which is being built by Kapolri, namely the Precise Police," he said. Hikmahanto also commented on one of Polri's activities in the 76th Bhayangkara Day series, namely the 2022 Hoegeng Awards. Hikmahanto said that this activity, which was held for the first time, should be preserved in order to show the police officers who truly carry out their duties to serve the community. "This Hoegeng Awards should be preserved to produce great police officers like Hoegeng," said Hikmahanto. He then mentioned that the winner of the Hoegeng Awards in the Innovative Police category was Brigadier General Eko Rudi Sudarto, who has served in Papua for many years, with his last position being Deputy Police Chief of Papua. He assessed that Eko had carried out the government's vision to maintain the integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) in Papua. "One of them is the Innovative Police Category, where the police in carrying out their duties must understand the community, local wisdom, and directives from its leaders at the center, so it is necessary to bring up innovations," he said. "This is shown by the winner of the Innovative Police category, Brigadier General Eko Rudi Sudarto, who is able to innovate while serving as Deputy Police Chief in Papua. Eko has carried out the central government's vision to maintain the territorial integrity of the Republic of Indonesia by making innovations that refer to the context of the Papuan people even though Eko is not originally from region, " he concluded.