National Police Service Commission to recruit 10,000 police officers

Kenya: The National Police Service Commission plans to recruit 10,000 police officers on July 14.

The commission has reduced the minimum entry grade to a D+ (Plus) from the previous C(Plain) and put the minimum age to between 18 and 28 years for KCSE holders, and 30 years for those with specialized skills including Diploma and Degree.

The commission has appointed a team to spearhead the exercise at all the more than 200 districts. This was after treasury allocated Sh2.9 billion for recruitment of 10,000 police and Administration Police.

The recruitment will be done on a single day for both services to avoid or reduce cases of corruption at large.

Chairman Johnston Kavuludi in an advert in the newspapers on Monday said that 6,000 constables will be regular police and 4,000 Administration Police.

He said the recruitment panels will be in the centers ready to receive application forms from those interested.

“A candidate must submit at least one letter of recommendation from a respected member of the community such as a former head teacher religious leader or community leader,” said part of the advert.

This will increase police population to almost 100,000.

And unlike the group of more than 7,000 personnel who passed out last month, the next team will be trained for nine months.

The recruitment would supplement the police population ahead of the 2017 General Election, during which security agencies anticipate an upsurge in criminal activity.

Officials drawn from the local District Security and Intelligence Committees, Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission, the public, church leaders and the ministries of Education and Health will oversee the exercise.

The police to population ratio in Kenya stands at 1: 800, against the 1:400 recommended by the United Nations for efficient and effective policing.

It is the third time government efforts to bridge the gap have been slowed down since 2008.

Justice Ransley Commission that produced a blueprint for police reforms imposed a freeze on recruitment until the training curriculum was reviewed, which authorities have done.

A curriculum for training of the recruits unveiled indicates constables will be trained for 15 months, including a three-month compulsory internship, while cadets will be in college for 21 months, including a three-month internship.

In the past, the recruits have undergone a nine-month training programme at the colleges without internship.

The new group is being trained in management, research methodology, judicial procedure, information security management, psychology, cyber crime, customer care, human rights and security, and safety in general.