The definition of law enforcement is a harmonization activity of steady values and the manifestation of the action as a series of final value elaboration, to create, maintain and sustain the peace in social life.
Soedarto interpreted a law enforcement is as attention and making resistance to law that actually happened (onrecht in actu) or may occur (onrecht in potentie).
In simple terms, it can be said that law enforcement is an attempt to enforce the norms and rules of law as well as the values behind. Law enforcement officials should understand truly the soul of law (legal spirit) underlying the rule of law to be upheld, associated with the various dynamics that occur in the process of legislation (law making process).
According to Radbruch, the duty of law is to make clear the law values and the postulates to the basic deepest philosophy. Legislation is written norm (statutory law) which contains certain philosophical values. Legislation as a norm is the supporting structure of order and justice that have certain characteristics. These characteristics can be seen from the tension between the ideal and reality.
Satjipto Rahardjo distinguished terms of law enforcement (law enforcement) with the use of the law (the use of law). Law enforcement and the use of law are two different things. People can enforce the law to give justice, but people can also enforce the law to be used for the achievement of objectives or other interests. Enforcing the law is not exactly the same as using the law.
Law enforcement is a social sub-system, so the enforcement is influenced by very complex environment such as the development of political, economic, social, cultural, defense and security, science and technology, education and so on.
