National Police Deploys Brimob Forces to Kalimantan to Extinguish Forest Fires and Investigate Criminal Activities

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The National Police Headquarters (Mabes Polri) has deployed 200 personnel from the Brimob II Corps to Kalimantan to assist in extinguishing and preventing the spread of forest and land fires (karhutla).

In addition, 10 personnel from the Criminal Investigation Agency (Bareskrim) were also sent to support law enforcement at the sites.

The Head of Public Relations Division of the National Police, Brigadier General Trunoyudo, stated that this initiative is part of the Polri's comprehensive efforts to address karhutla, ranging from extinguishing and prevention on the ground to enforcing the law against those responsible for the fires.

“The Polri continues to work on managing karhutla by deploying personnel to assist in extinguishing fires, preventing their spread, and supporting law enforcement. This effort is carried out in coordination with related agencies and the community to minimize the impacts of karhutla,” said Trunoyudo in a press release on Monday (26/10/2026).

Trunoyudo elaborated that in East Kalimantan, 100 personnel from the 1st Special Detachment (Gegana) and 1st Pioneer Detachment of Brimob II were dispatched during a ceremony at the East Kalimantan Police Headquarters in Balikpapan, led by East Kalimantan Police Deputy Chief Brigadier General Rustam Mansur.

These personnel are assigned to assist in handling hotspots in East Kutai Regency and to support mitigation efforts in the new capital area (IKN), as well as in East Kutai, West Kutai, and Paser regencies.

According to Trunoyudo, the placement of personnel is based on the need to ensure optimal firefighting and prevention efforts.

Additionally, 100 personnel from the 2nd Pioneer Detachment of Brimob II were sent to Central Kalimantan after being released by the Commander of the 2nd Pioneer Detachment, Kombes Ndaru Istimawan, in South Sulawesi.

This team will focus on handling fires, particularly in the Tanjung Puting National Park area (TNTP) in Kotawaringin Barat (Kobar), which requires intensive management.

They will be deployed to various locations as needed in their operational jurisdiction to support extinguishing efforts, wetting the land, and preventing the fire from spreading again.

Trunoyudo also mentioned that in Central and East Kalimantan, 10 Bareskrim personnel are assigned to support law enforcement against criminal actions related to karhutla.

The deployment of personnel in these two provinces is expected to facilitate optimal handling of cases, including tracing the suspected causes of the fires and identifying responsible parties if criminal elements are found.

Therefore, said Trunoyudo, the management of karhutla is not solely focused on extinguishing fires but also includes preventative measures and law enforcement.

He emphasized that managing karhutla requires the involvement of various stakeholders, from field officers and local governments to the community.

“Managing karhutla is a collective responsibility. The Polri will continue to synergize with related agencies and the community, both in helping with firefighting and enforcing the law if violations are found. We also urge the public not to engage in land burning and to report any detected hotspots immediately,” Trunoyudo added.