• This is after Koome urged police officers to use their guns to protect themselves while in danger.
• Koome told off people calling on arrest of police officers saying officers should not be attacked and fail to use their guns.
Image: CHARLENE MALWA
The Independent Policing Oversight Authority has told off Inspector General of Police Japhet Koome on his remarks to police officers, to use their guns to protect themselves while in danger.
In a statement on Saturday, Ipoa chairperson Ann Makori said the constitution mandates all national security organs to be subordinate to civilian authority.
She said President William Ruto committed to ensuring no extrajudicial deaths occur as a result of rogue police officers.
"Our attention is drawn to the unfortunate and dangerous statement attributed to the Inspector General of Police yesterday, where he gave police officers a shoot to kill order against suspected criminals," Makori said.
This is after Koome urged police officers to use their guns to protect themselves while in danger.
Koome told off people calling on arrest of police officers saying officers should not be attacked and fail to use their guns.
"The other day they said arrest 12 police officers. The office of the IG will stand with you," he said on Friday.
Koome said police should use their arms to protect themselves, citizens and property.
"We shall not be intimidated. We have a mandate to protect life and property. I repeat, we shall not be cowards," he said.
Koome also hit out at Ipoa for criticising police work.
He said the Ipoa is only investigating cases involving police errors and not officers killed in the line of duty.
"Do not be intimidated by busybodies whose work is to recommend the arresting of officers and today I don't see them here," Koome said.
Makori said police have the public and their full support including when they make a decision that may result to the use of lethal force.
The oversight authority said it shall investigate death or serious injury while in police custody, which are the result of police action or were caused by members of the service while on duty.
Ipoa , however said, the same supreme law that empowers use of force, also calls, in equal measure the account for the loss of life and serious injuries.
Makori said many of the police officers have acted within the law while discharging their duties
"Out of the more than 20,000 complaints that the authority has received against the NPS, less than 500 have been forwarded to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with the recommendation to charge," she said.
The official said investigations found that police used lethal force justifiably.