Police Spokesperson Charles Owino on Wednesday stated that employing officers who scored C+ in KCSE is a challenge because most of them go to further their education and come back asking for promotions.
Speaking during an interview on Citizen TV, Owino said the National Police Service can only promote a certain number of officers and all cadres must have adequate manpower.
“We have a challenge when we employ every policeman with Grade C+ and above. They go back to school, get degrees & come back and ask for promotions.
“It is important we get officers who have C plain, C - & D+,” he said.
Adding: “You cannot promote everyone…It is important to get officers at direct entry. We are not employing everyone to be a manager. The most important thing is intelligence.”
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Last week, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the qualification for recruitment into the police service should be raised from D+.
Matiang’i questioned the service's capacity to deal with emerging crimes, saying Kiganjo Police Training College graduates were no match for tech-savvy criminals.
Also read: Nine things you should not tell Kenyan police
Speaking during a graduation ceremony for 46 prosecutors in Prosecutor Training Institute, Loresho, Nairobi, the CS said the National Police Service will turn to professionals like doctors and lawyers to crack complex crimes.
“This is why I have been fighting that we look at the cut-off point of the people we are admitting. Surely, if we are admitting you with a D plus then we are telling you to go to the complex science of analysing blood and preparing a document that the DPP is going to use in court to prove murder, are we serious honestly? Are we serious?” he posed.
Adding: “That is why I am saying there are many things we can do. The time is here for us to face the reality to know that we are facing challenges that we must confront in a serious manner and... we need to start new capacities on law enforcement terrain so that when I give you a file, you will not say we have no competencies."
Also read: How to apply for a police clearance certificate online
