• The National Police Service has announced a plan to retrain all police officers amid efforts to enhance reforms.
• Charles Owino said a number of police officers have been relieved of their duty and arraigned before court after internal disciplinary mechanisms.
Image: MERCY MUMO
The National Police Service has announced plans to retrain all police officers amid efforts to enhance reforms.
Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai through a forum with members of the public said retraining of the officers will play a key role in ensuring that the police is transformed to a friendlier and more professional service.
“The police has changed from a ‘force’ to a ‘service’ with the view to have a friendlier and more professional service,” Mutyambai said.
Mutyambai’s sentiments come amid raising concerns of police brutality ad killings.
The IG has been on spot over his silence on the recent killings by police
Earlier this month, the service defended Mutyambai on claims that he had remained silent as police continue to 'brutalise' wananchi.
Spokesman Charles Owino hit back at civil society groups accusing them of double standards.
Owino said while the groups 'shout loud' when civilians are killed, they remain silent when the same civilians attack and kill officers.
“It is not in the nature of the IG to shout. He is organised and does his work quietly. The IG is working tirelessly to promote good working relations between the members of the public and police officers.”National Police Service Spokesman Charles Owino
“We have lately had cases where police officers have been killed by civilians using machetes. The latest case being the killing of a 29-year-old police officer by civilians in Lamu,” he said.
“The officer was attacked without provoking or even attempting to arrest anyone. To our surprise no civil society has condemned this unfortunate incident as if it is a normal incident for a police officer to be killed.”
According to Owino, such actions widen conflict between police and criminals and promote panic among police while using their firearms in the course of duty.
Owino said a number of police officers have been relieved of their duty and arraigned before court after internal disciplinary mechanisms.
But Mutyambai while responding to concerns from members of the public said though the service is on the right track towards reforms there are some officers who may not be privy to that idea.
“Admittedly, some may not be reformed but we are retraining officers,” he said.
Mutyambai said such bad elements within the service can be done away with if members of the public volunteer to share information.
“We encourage all citizens to keep reporting cases of police brutality. I’m aware some of these cases occur at night and others in remote parts of Kenya. Forward videos to us. I depend on you to reign in on errant officers even as we embark on retraining all officers,” he said.
He said within the retraining, the officers will be taken through mental health programs to improve on their well being.
“I’m doing everything possible to ensure we improve on the welfare of officers with a view to improving psycho-social support frameworks,” he said.
“There has been a clamour by the public to have a closer and keener engagement with the National Police Service. I have taken note of that and will be dedicating an hour every alternate Monday to engage with you personally on a live Twitter chat.”