A Police Officer Who Cares for Persons with Mental Disorder (ODGJ)

A Police Officer Who Cares for Persons with Mental Disorder (ODGJ)

Iswahyudi

Aipda Purnomo's concern for Individuals with Mental Disorders (ODGJ) began six years ago when he was returning home from his office at Lamongan Police Resort. He observed a disheveled woman, with tangled hair, unclothed, searching for food in a pile of trash. Aipda Purnomo felt compassion and pity. Consequently, he hurried home, grabbed a piece of clothing, brought food, and returned to the woman's location. Purnomo approached the woman slowly.

To avoid being misunderstood by the woman, he handed over the food he brought from home. After she felt comfortable, Aipda Purnomo provided appropriate clothing to the naked woman. Subsequently, he took the woman to his home in Nguwok Village, RT 17 RW 01, Modo Subdistrict, Lamongan Regency, East Java, Indonesia, for care and eventual return to her family once she regained health. The woman was later identified as Siti Murniatun and diagnosed as a Person with Mental Disorders (ODGJ).

Since then, Aipda Purnomo's concern for ODGJ has grown. Siti was just one of the ODGJ he cared for and reunited with her family. He established the Bekas Bersinar Abadi Foundation, dedicated to ODGJ. For six years, Aipda Purnomo has accompanied, nurtured, and cared for ODGJ, most of whom he finds on the streets. He disregards the tranquility of his personal life caused by caring for ODGJ, whose behavior can be unpredictable at times. The man serving as the Chief of Community Policing at Lamongan Police Resort has turned his own home into a shelter for ODGJ. With patience, perseverance, and sincerity, he cares for ODGJ until their conditions improve, and the majority of them return to a normal life and reunite with their families.

His soul's calling for ODGJ is also supported by his wife, Lilik Ika Wahyuni, who works as a midwife, and several colleagues who share the same concern for ODGJ. Through the foundation he established, Purnomo and his team have saved many ODGJ from neglect and the harsh realities of street life. This philanthropic activity is carried out without neglecting his duties as a police officer at Lamongan Police Resort.

Aipda Purnomo's concern is not only focused on ODGJ; he also cares for and nurtures the homeless, supports orphaned children, and assists those less fortunate financially. "I have been caring for ODGJ and the homeless for six years. Next May will mark the sixth year. However, only in the last two years in our place (Berkas Bersinar Abadi Foundation) do we have a specialist doctor and a spiritual healer. For the first four years, we only provided shelter, care, and helped find their homes. In these 6 years, we have sent nearly 100 individuals back to their families," he said, in a friendly tone, as reported by Greennetwork.id."

Personal Home as a Shelter for ODGJ

Aipda Purnomo has witnessed ODGJ and homeless individuals wandering in the harshness of street life far too often. Their scavenging behavior deeply moved him, and the desire to alleviate their burden was immense. This motivated him to continuously accompany those abandoned on the streets.

"I often see people with mental disorders naked on the streets or with scanty clothing. As a human being, especially as a police officer, I want to set an example to society that ODGJ and the homeless deserve our help. There should be no distinction, whether they have a mental disorder or not," he stated.

Born on April 7, 1980, in Lamongan, this handsome police officer willingly turned his private home into a temporary residence for ODGJ and the homeless, enabling him to care for them optimally and reintegrate them into normal life, ultimately reuniting them with their families.

"Alhamdulillah, my wife, who is a midwife, also participates and assists directly. Currently, we have six caregivers, three specialist doctors, and one nurse," he added

.Supporting ODGJ through Content Creation and Donations from Generous Individuals

As of August 2022, there are 91 ODGJ and homeless individuals being cared for and nurtured at the Bekas Bersinar Abadi Foundation founded by Purnomo. Interestingly, these individuals are not only from Lamongan but also from other regions outside East Java.

One may wonder how Aipda Purnomo sustains these ninety-one individuals. Apparently, every act of assistance and care for ODGJ is documented on social media. The income generated from Google AdSense and Facebook, along with donations from generous individuals, sufficiently supports his social mission. However, it has not been without challenges; his Facebook account was hacked, but fortunately, his YouTube account remained intact.

"We support ODGJ and the homeless through the assistance of good-hearted people from all over Indonesia. Additionally, I also receive (Google) AdSense from my YouTube content, 'Purnomo Belajar Baik,'" he explained.

"Most of the ODGJ we find on the streets come from less privileged families. Some are deliberately entrusted to us by their families, who bear the cost themselves. Out of the 91 individuals, 37 were found abandoned on the streets because they had no family. Five individuals passed away recently, and we gave them a proper burial," Purnomo continued.

Thanks to his inspirational content on social media and his efforts in caring for ODGJ, Aipda Purnomo has gained support and recognition from many people. Currently, his 'Purnomo Belajar Baik' content has garnered 1.58 million subscribers, with high viewership for each uploaded video.

Moreover, the foundation he established provides business capital for rehabilitated ODGJ to start their own enterprises. In addition to caring for and nurturing ODGJ, Aipda Purnomo assists homeless individuals, orphaned children, and provides scholarships for 20 students in Lamongan. The Bekas Sinar Abadi Foundation plans to build a place of worship and a mental rehabilitation center in the near future. Since he accommodates ODGJ of various beliefs, he ensures that places of worship are available for individuals of diverse religions.

"Currently, we have prepared approximately one hectare of land to build a place of worship. The location is within Bojonegoro Regency, near my home. It's not a mosque, but a place of worship because we care for not only Muslims but also those of other faiths. We also plan to build a mental rehab center, and the funds come from the income from the YouTube channel and contributions from kind-hearted individuals," he stated.

Caring for ODGJ with Love

Facing ODGJ is not always smooth for Aipda Purnomo. He often encounters challenges due to the unpredictable behavior and mental conditions of ODGJ, who can attack at any moment. However, with accumulated experience and an increasingly sincere heart, he manages to overcome these challenges.

"I handle ODGJ with nothing but my heart. With love. Many people ask, 'What knowledge or magical spell does Mr. Purnomo use?' I say there's no specific knowledge. One thing is for sure, ODGJ are also human beings. If we humanize them, they won't be angry. When I first meet ODGJ, they inevitably rebel. But then I hug them, persuade them, feed them, and alhamdulillah, they comply because they feel that we treat them with wholeheartedness," said Aipda Purnomo.

In carrying out his social mission, the Bekas Bersinar Abadi Foundation frequently collaborates with various other social communities in Lamongan.

"The most recent collaboration was with the Lamongan Mengajar Community. We conducted teaching activities in remote schools," he mentioned.

ODGJ Are Also Humans

Despite being an active-duty police officer in the Community Development Unit at Lamongan Police Resort, Purnomo never finds it burdensome to allocate his time, thanks to the support he receives from his superiors and the institution.

"I receive support from the Lamongan Police Chief, the Head of Community Policing (Lamongan Police), and also from the East Java Regional Police Chief. Thus, I can carry out these social activities in between my duties as a police officer. As members of the Community Development Unit at Lamongan Police Resort, we often patrol on weekends, encounter ODGJ, and bring them in," he said.

From all the social missions he has undertaken over the past six years, he aims to motivate and set an example for how ODGJ should be treated, ideally inspiring others to follow suit.

"ODGJ are human beings, but their condition is sick. If someone is sick, don't tie them up. Don't place them in secluded places, don't isolate them. Embrace them, accompany them, treat them with compassion and medical care. Once again, don't restrain them. It's a pity. Don't let us, who work in certain institutions, lack sensitivity. Believe that kindness will come back to us. The more widely we spread kindness everywhere, other forms of goodness will emerge. If we want our lives to have meaning, don't just observe, don't just talk, but take action," he concluded.

In the midst of the tarnished image of the Indonesian police due to the Sambo case and the Kanjuruhan Tragedy that claimed hundreds of lives among the Aremania, the figure of Aipda Purnomo still offers hope. There are still good people in the police force. If Purnomo can learn to be good, so can the Indonesian National Police, becoming better in the future. Perhaps, in the future, we will have a country without police because there are no more bad people, everyone becomes good. Hopefully.