Incompetence and inadequate skills rocking the police service, says IG Boinnet

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet speaking to the press

A significant number of police officers are constrained by inadequacy of skills and competence to deal with contemporary security demands.

Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet said on Thursday that the situation has negatively affected the overall image of the police service in the country.

He at the same time told a meeting of senior officers that they recognize the vital role the police play in providing safety and security to all Kenyans.

“It is an important role that can only be achieved by having a competent and a professional police service,” he said.

He added that the ever-changing security environment and increasing complexity of crime particularly of organized and technological nature has called for the need to re-examine the competencies of police officers at the present time.

“The constitution of Kenya 2010 has placed a great demand for police officers in the country to be professional, competent, disciplined, respect human rights and fundamental freedoms as well as work well with the communities they serve,” he added.

He made the remarks when he addressed a stakeholders’ meeting on the review of the Curriculum of the National Police Service.

Boinnet said he had appointed a Curriculum Review Committee last year to explore ways of aligning police training in the country to the current policing requirements.  The team has since come up with a needs assessment report and draft training strategy that is under interrogation.

He said police is a community resource that has to be modeled to respond to community needs and policing is not something done to people but rather done with the people.

“I also wish to state that this process is one of the myriad reform activities the National Police Service is undertaking to professionalize the police in the country. Our main objective is to create a police service that is steeped in the values enshrined in our Constitution and able to inspire the confidence of every citizen.”

National Police Service Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi said curriculum must respond to economic and social needs of a country.

Kavuludi said a training strategy, policy, scheme of service and a police academy are vital for a dignified professional world class service.

He said the scheme of service is ready to be launched.