Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and Administration Police Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua have a reassuring presence every time they address the nation from sites like the Mathare rockslide, building collapses, terror attacks, banditry zones, fire tragedies or road accidents.
From a public perception, it appears the matter is being handled from the highest offices on security matters and is being treated with the requisite seriousness. At operational level, officers are galvanised since action is being demanded by the top brass and must be given priority so that the public, investors, tourists and financiers keep their finger away from panic buttons.
However, when damning TV footage of a brutal assault in West Pokot — regardless of why the victim got an epiphany three years on — it is astounding that just a day later, a photojournalist with The Standard Group is assaulted by policemen in Nakuru, a hale and healthy city engineer reportedly tries to grow wings from a police lorry and a 21-year-old reveller is said to take a shortcut through a storied bar window rather than the staircase he used earlier.
Rapid fire denials by senior police bosses on the ground sound lame, ridiculous and reek of text-book-style laziness to investigate. Some of the denials are an insult to the intelligence and make a mockery of the assurances the two police chiefs are wont to give.
In fact, no less than the Internal Security Minister has been quoted saying rogue police officers must be ready to carry their own cross. Indeed, one of the many recommendations for a reformed Police Service would be to tighten vetting, right from the recruitment level.
occupying force
It is high time brutality stopped being a byword for gun-toting police officers. If the public cannot feel safe around armed officers, what difference are they from an oppressive, occupying force? What is so hard about all arrests being handled with civility as are done for politicians and corporates who are even given time to tag a lawyer along? Some are even allowed "to present" themselves for questioning.
Is it perhaps time to start suing brutal officers who live in a time warp, for assault and battery?
