Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja has warned senior police commanders to strengthen supervision and accountability within their formations, saying officers involved in criminal activities will not be allowed to damage the reputation of the National Police Service.
Kanja said cases of police officers engaging in crime were a betrayal of the oath they took to serve and protect Kenyans, while raising concerns over weak supervision, particularly at lower levels of command.
“Issues of officers engaging in crime is both a disgrace to the service and a serious betrayal to the oath of office,” Kanja said.
He said the emergence of such cases pointed to gaps in supervision and accountability, urging senior commanders to take greater responsibility for the conduct of officers under their command.
“The emergence of these incidents portrays a disconnect on both supervision and accountability, especially at the lower ranks,” he said.
Kanja directed senior commanders to maintain close supervision of their junior officers and identify those whose conduct was inconsistent with the standards expected of members of the police service.
He said the service would not allow the actions of a few officers to undermine the work of thousands of others serving professionally across the country.
“We are not going to allow a few officers to damage the image of thousands of hardworking police officers who are ready to work and are professionals in the discharge of their duties,” he said.
His remarks came in the wake of investigations into the killing of former African Institute of Mental and Brain Health director Dr Victoria Mutiso, in which the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) said three police officers played a role.
The murder investigation has renewed scrutiny of the conduct of police officers and the effectiveness of internal supervision mechanisms.
Kanja said commanders whose formations continued to post poor results in command and control would face consequences, including removal from their command responsibilities.
“We shall ensure that commanders posting poor results in terms of commanding controls are relieved of their duties, command responsibilities and dealt with procedurally,” he said.
“Let this message reach all commanders,” Kanja added, urging them to “pull up their socks”.
The IG also raised concern over what he termed inaction or delays in responding to reports made by members of the public, particularly cases involving land disputes, domestic violence and threats to life.
He said some incidents that later escalated into serious crimes could have been prevented had police acted promptly on earlier reports.
“It is therefore saddening to see that some of the situations we find ourselves in could have been averted through diligent and responsible policing,” he said.
Kanja reminded officers that they were free to consult other commanders and relevant offices whenever they encountered challenges in handling cases.
“You are at liberty to consult horizontally and vertically if need be,” he said.
He said effective policing required commanders to take ownership of complaints reported within their areas and ensure that officers responded professionally and within the law.
Kanja further called on senior officers to support police training institutions as they prepare recruits and officers for upcoming pass-out parades.
He said training remained critical in preparing officers to meet the changing demands of policing and uphold professionalism.
Kanja spoke on Wednesday during a sensitisation forum on the New Service Standing Orders and Police Reforms at the National Police Leadership Academy (NPLA) in Ngong, where he challenged commanders to strengthen leadership, discipline and accountability throughout the service.
