Empower police service to bolster war on crime

Kenya: Modernisation of the Kenya Police Service is a prerequisite to enhancing security and fighting crime that appears to be on an upswing. Though statistics indicate that there was a 14 per cent drop in crime in the last two months, it is not an indicator of the effectiveness of the police in fighting the vice.

While speaking to governors in Naivasha on issues of insecurity, the Inspector General of Police, Mr David Kimaiyo, said the country needed to “urgently recruit” an additional 200,000 police officers to help in combating crime. Coming at a time when the country is under siege and the existing small number of police officers is unable to fully cope, this is a request that needs immediate attention.

Only last week, security chiefs met in Nairobi to decry low budgetary allocations to the police service that hinder operations. In fact according to an opinion by the Leaders of Majority of Parliament (see p15), the government will spend Sh2 billion on guns for the officer, Sh18 billion less. At the meeting, it was revealed that police cars were allocated two litres of petrol each per day.

Currently, Kenya has 75,000 police officers. This number has been going down gradually through natural attrition, dismissals, resignations and retirement. Against a population of 40 million plus, what this translates into is that we have one police officer per every 523 people.

The United Nations recommendations propose one police officer for every 450 people. Given that 680,000 illigal arms are in the hands of criminals and the bigger number of people to police, the task becomes almost impossible to accomplish.

For effective patrols, the police service must be furnished with modern and well-equipped patrol aircraft to keep perpetual surveillance over high crime areas especially in urban centres. The number of motor vehicles assigned to the police should also be increased and enough fuel given to allow officers to make timely responses to calls for assistance.

The welfare of officers is of paramount importance as it helps in boosting morale. The proposal to give insurance cover to officers is a move in the right direction. In the past, families of officers killed in their line of duty have been taken round in circles and ended up with no benefits. In addition to insurance, decent housing that does not rob officers of their dignity is a must.

The conditions of what passes for houses in police lines are deplorable and dehumanising. Officers have on several occasions had to execute their duties while adorning torn uniforms and shoes. It is the duty of the Government to ensure that officers are resplendent in their uniforms.

Replacement of old uniforms must be regular. In the past, some officers have had to buy uniforms from their salaries. Also, a review of the salaries of the officers should be considered so that they are commensurate with the hard, dangerous and demanding work they perform in helping maintain law and order.

Besides a forensic laboratory, police officers need to be supplied with arms that can match the weapons that criminals use. Going into hotspots with ancient rifles when criminals are using advanced weaponry is exposing police officers to unnecessary dangers.