The Role of Socialization, Digital Literacy and Public Trust in the Understanding and Participation of Complaints through ‘Dumas Presisi’ in Indonesia at the National Police Agency

Abstract

Public complaints (Dumas) are a vital component of good governance, particularly in law enforcement institutions such as the National Police. The ‘Dumas Presisi’ application was developed to facilitate digital complaint submission. This study examines the effect of Exposure to Socialization (X1) and Digital Literacy (X2) on Complaint Participation (Z), with Public Understanding (Y1) as a mediating variable, using a quantitative survey approach. Data were collected from 290 respondents in West Java. The findings reveal that Exposure to Socialization (X1) has a significant positive effect on Public Understanding (Y1) (β = 0.728) and Complaint Participation (Z) (β = 0.520). Digital Literacy (X2) positively affects Public Understanding (β = 0.178) but does not significantly influence Complaint Participation (β = −0.096). The model explains 63.4% of the variation in Public Understanding and 59.8% in Complaint Participation. Exposure to socialization is the strongest factor in enhancing public understanding and participation in ‘Dumas Presisi’, with public understanding serving as the key mediator. It is recommended that the National Police increase the quality and frequency of socialization efforts to strengthen public trust and encourage active participation in the complaint system.