- For better peace and security, children need to grow up with good morals and values.
- He called for partnership between National Police Service and the academia to deliberately shape values and belief systems among the Kenyan youth towards a better society with high moral standards.
Deputy Inspector General of Kenya police service Edward Mbugua has rooted for community policing as one of the ways to control crime in communities.
He argued that the concept of community policing is that responsibility for crime control is shared by the police and the public.
“While the public may not have guns and other sophisticated equipment like we do, they have something much more superior than weapons, it is the public that establishes the morals and values in our children,” he said.
He added that this happens in churches, schools and families and it is best achieved through oral and written literature, and observed behavior.
“A society that concentrates on establishing positive morals values among its youth will always know peace. On the contrary, a negative social environment will always breed drug addicts, who will also engage in violent crimes.”
The best form of community policing, therefore he said, is that the society must define rules that will prohibit bad behavior and reward good behavior.
"Such a self-monitoring mechanism will ensure there is mutual respect and, therefore, peaceful coexistence among the people," he argued.
He made the remarks when he presided over the launch of a book- When the Ancient Tree Falls- authored by a communication police officer in his office superintendent Jared Ojuok.
The book seeks to inform and equip the young with key values, beliefs and customs essential for good culture in society.
Mbugua said from the management point of view, he felt that for better peace and security, children need to grow up with good morals and values.
“These are values of respect for self and for authority, integrity, honesty and hard-working. All these are adequately covered in this book.”
He also called for a partnership between National Police Service and the academia to deliberately shape values and belief systems among the Kenyan youth towards a better society with high moral standards.
“This kind of relationship will contribute to a wealth of knowledge and make our country safer.”
He said that as a nation, we must all realize that our survival as a society depends very much on our adaptability, flexibility, and continuous development of our value systems.
“This is why we emphasize and encourage positive ventures that have the capacity to shape the belief and value systems such as this. It is our hope that the University will consider and incorporate this literary work as an appropriate learning tool,” he said.
Mbugua said he always appreciated African Literature for its richness in wisdom and teachings.
“Literature enriches the social and emotional development of young people. It equips them with the ability to establish and maintain positive relationships, and therefore make responsible decisions in life. When we have a good number of mature and responsible youth, then we are assured of peace within the communities, and that is security for both the present and the future.”