- After a meeting on Wednesday, the NPS sent a memo saying senior officers will be held accountable for crime cases reported in their areas.
- Police commanders were directed to form specialised units of not more than five officers in their stations.
Image: FILE
The National Police Service has come up with a raft of measures to contain crime in the cities including adopting a multi-agency approach.
After a meeting on Wednesday, the NPS sent a memo saying senior officers will be held accountable for crime cases reported in their areas.
Police commanders were directed to form specialised units of not more than five officers in their stations.
“Such units will be abolished once the objectives have been achieved,” the directive read.
There will be more boots on the ground with commanders directed to deploy adequate officers in full uniform.
Commanders were also been directed to conduct a review of patrol areas and mapping of crime hotspots.
“Inspectors will be given lock ups to supervise and will be held accountable in case of any runaway crime. No officer will work more than 12 hours and the day shift will be up to 6pm,” the directive reads.
The Spiv, a trend where officers patrol in civilian clothes, has been abolished.
Further, all cases of interest must be reported to authorities and there will be random checks to establish and confirm the same, the memo said.
The memo said every officer including senior ones, must wear uniform while on duty.
“No more civilian clothing. Morale, salary, allowances are on the way.”
There will also be officers from General Service Unit and Rapid Deployment on the city streets.
“Following the reorganisation of Nairobi County Security command, there are the deployment of additional specialised police units drawn from the General Service Unit and the Rapid Deployment Unit,” the Interior Ministry said.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said measures had been put in place to ensure normalcy returns.
“Kenyans can go about their businesses. Nairobi will remain safe, not in the short term, but in the long term, because our security forces are doing everything possible to ensure citizens are free to conduct their businesses without fear of losing their lives or property,” Kindiki said.
The CS said the police will prioritise public safety in Nairobi and other towns.
One of the latest victims of crime is a Kenya College Accountancy University student who was stabbed by members of a gang.
The victim was rushed by good Samaritans to hospital where she is admitted.
Police said three suspected muggers were arrested at the KCA underpass on Thika Road.
The suspects, said to be notorious muggers, were on board a motorcycle that did not have insurance cover and they were not wearing any protective gear.
The police said they recovered knives, spools, and a metal rod from the gang.
According to records, cases of robberies and muggings have increased especially in the city where criminals, armed with pistols and other crude weapons, target pedestrians.
Top police commanders met again Wednesday for the second day to come up with strategies.