NYERI,Kenya, Apr 30 – The National Police Service is undergoing a metamorphosis after years of poor policies, a dented image, cases of police brutality, enforced disappearances and killings meted on civilians.
The spotlight is however now being shone within the service itself, which according to stakeholders and observers may be on the precipice of imploding if serious actions are not taken, to salvage the dire situation.
During the official opening ceremony of the direct entry Cadet Inspectors course at the National Police College in Kiganjo, Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr. Fred Matiang’i reiterated the need for police officers to be at the forefront of change saying, “we want to move our standards to the global levels of discipline, integrity and commitment of service.”
Top on the agenda, he said will be addressing the gender relations amongst male and female officers across the country.
As cases of domestic violence continues to be on the rise within the police ranks, even resulting to deaths, a proposed change in the standing orders of police will see officers prevented from engaging in romantic relationships or even marrying each other.
The service now seeks to imitate the Kenya Defence Forces and adopt its system that prohibit officers across ranks from dating or engaging in romantic relationships within and outside the confines of duty.
“We will adopt the system adopted by KDF for example you as officers, we do not expect you to leave here and go to have affairs with your constables whom you are managing…when it gets to that point, one of you has to leave because we must maintain a certain level of conduct in the police service,” CS Matiang’i said.
Those already married will not be affected if the proposal sails through.
“We can not continue this way…this is breeding indiscipline in the service and causing harassment on some of our police officers,” he said.
This comes weeks after Matiang’i’s body guard, GSU officer Hudson Wakise shot to death his wife, Pauline Wakasa, a traffic officer attached at the Kilimani police station in Ruaraka, before committing suicide.
The two were engaged in a marital dispute.
A similar incident occurred four months ago after an officer killed his female colleague at the Kamukunji police station.
An estimated 100 couples are within the police service.
The figure could be higher according to sources at the National Police Service Commission.
Starting May, the police service will establish a data base on the exact number of couples in an exercise deemed to be a top priority amidst cases of gender based violence.
In the raft of changes also that have since been proposed by stakeholders and subject to be presented and subsequently approved by the National Security Council, is the creation of a new office on Ethics and Gender relations under the office of the Inspector General of Police.
In recent years, female officers have raised concerns over rampant cases of sexual harassment and mistreatment by their seniors, with cases rarely being probed or even reported.
“We can not look away anymore and not address challenges we have had in the security sector where especially our female members in the service,some of them have complained of sexual harassment, we have investigated some of the cases but because we did not have a stringent eco-system some things have fallen through the cracks..it will not happen again in the future” a tough speaking Matiang’i said.
Female officers have in the past accused their seniors of threatening them with demotions or transfers after rejecting their sexual advances according to a report by the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA).
The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) is currently leading efforts to review the current police standing orders.
Security stakeholders involved in the review hope to strengthening the standing orders and create ways of protecting female officers.
“We can not hope that if we are not disciplined ourselves we will be able to discipline those that work with us and offer competent services to our people…..we can no longer leave that way,” he said.
“It is not going to be easy. Even for senior officers with me here, I would like to break it to you, the President is very clear. Pull up your socks and tighten your belts…we are now beginning a phase of very stringent changes in the service and in the manner we go forward.”
Cases of sexual harassment meanwhile in the service will adopt, “orderly room proceedings type of cases” and officers found guilty stripped of their ranks and dishonorably discharged from the service.
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Matiangi was speaking during the official opening ceremony of the direct entry Cadet Inspectors course at the National Police College in Kiganjo that will let nine months,
Matiang’i hailed the programme that is the first of its kind in the continent.
He said the programme will usher a new police service where skills are utilized, with police becoming leaders and part of communities by interacting more with the members of the public.
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