Kenya Police

Kenya Police Service
Idara ya Polisi wa Kenya
The Kenya Police patch.
The Kenya Police patch.
Flag of the Kenya Police
Flag of the Kenya Police
Common nameKenya Police
AbbreviationKPS
MottoUtumishi kwa Wote
(English: "Service to All")
Agency overview
Formed1906
Employeesapprox. 101,000=
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionKEN
Map of Kenya Police Service's jurisdiction
Size581,309 square kilometres (224,445 sq mi)
Population47,564,000 Kenya
Primary governing bodyKenya
Secondary governing bodyIPOA
General nature
Operational structure
Overseen byKenya Police Service Commission
HeadquartersVigilance House, Harambee Ave, Nairobi
Police Officers80,000 (approx)
Agency executive
Parent agencyNational Police Service
Units
List
  • •Kenya Police Service Headquarters
  • • General Service Unit (GSU)
  • • Kenya Police Traffic Unit
  • • Presidential Escort Unit
  • • Kenya Airports Police Unit
  • • Kenya Railways & Ports Police Unit
  • • K9 Police Unit
  • • Nairobi Metropolitan Police
  • • Diplomatic Police Unit
  • • Tourist Police Unit
  • • Kenya Police Marine Unit
  • • Kenya Police Quick Response Unit
  • • Government Vehicle Check Unit
CountiesCounties of Kenya
Facilities
AirbasesWilson Airport
Mil Mi-17, MBB Bo 105 Cessnas15
Website
kenyapolice.go.ke
Kenya Police Officer on traffic duties in Nairobi City.

The Kenya Police Service is the national police force and law enforcement agency of the Republic of Kenya. It is subordinate to the National Police Service which is headed by an Inspector General of Police who exercises independent command over the Service. Kenya Police is headed by Deputy Inspector General. Kenya Police is divided into Service Headquarters in Nairobi, Formations, General Duty Commands and Training Institutions.

The Administration Police is commanded through a hierarchy separate from that of the Kenya Police. For other state security bodies see Law enforcement in Kenya. Recruitment to the police service is done on yearly basis.

History

The Kenya police force was established as a British colonial police force in 1907. From 1887 to 1902 policing was provided by the East Africa Trading Company. After 1902 the Kenya-Uganda Railway introduced their own police units.

In 1906 the Police Ordinance was established to create a new force in 1907, the Nairobi Mounted Police within the jurisdiction of the East Africa Protectorate. The current force's name came into effect in 1920 with the newly created British Kenya Colony.

The colonial force was made up mainly of British and Indian recruits as senior officers and Africans amongst lower ranks.

Following Kenya's independence, the British officers were replaced with local Kenyan members.

Structure

General

The Kenya Police is structured into two main categories: General Duty and Formations. General Duty includes various levels, with regions being the highest and police patrol bases being the most basic units.

Regional Police Commander is in charge of a Region (formerly Provinces), County Police Commander is in charge of Officers in the County(previously called District), Sub-County Police Commander Superintends Sub-County (previously called Division). Officer Commanding Station (OCS) is in charge of a Police Station in a Ward and oversees all its Police Posts and Patrol Bases (Ward Commander).

Formations

The Kenya Police formations/Units are headed by commandants/directors, who hold the rank of Senior Assistant Inspector General, Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) or Commissioner of Police (CP).

These formations are listed as under:

Unit Headquarters Leadership
General Service Unit (GSU) Nairobi Commandant Douglas Kanja (Inspector General of Police, 2025)
Diplomatic Police Unit Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Traffic Police Department Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Kenya Police College Kiganjo, Nyeri County Headed by a Commandant
Kenya Police Air Wing Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Presidential Escort Unit State House, Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Railways Police Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Kenya Police Dog Unit Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Tourist Police Unit Old Nairobi Area Provincial Police HQ, Nairobi Headed by a Commandant
Kenya Airports Police Unit Nairobi (plus divisions at Nairobi, Eldoret, Moi airports) Headed by a Commandant
Maritime Police Unit Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa Headed by a Commanding Officer

Commissioners of Police & Inspectors-General

Police ranks

The Kenya Police wear badges of rank on the shoulders (Inspector-General – Inspector) and sleeve (senior sergeant – constable) of their uniform to denote their rank. In line with the ongoing reforms, the uniforms committee is also working on new insignia for the revised rank structure, which will have to be approved by the National Police Service Commission. The order of Kenya Police ranks is as follows:

Ongoing changes

Following the promulgation of the new Constitution of Kenya on 27 August 2010, as laid down in Chapter 17 Part 4, the Kenyan police forces is undergoing a series of reforms. Hence called The Kenya Police Service, it is now headed by a Deputy Inspector-General and the division of its functions are organised to take into account the devolved structure of government in Kenya.

In the ongoing changes that started in 2018, police operational command was aligned police with existing administrative boundaries to create a unified command as follows:

The following positions were therefore abolished:

Consequently, the number of commanders were reduced from 168 to 56 Commanders.

Equipment

Kenya Police Cessna 208 Caravan

The equipment of the Kenya Police and General Service Unit (GSU), a paramilitary wing of the Kenyan Police, comprises:

Aircraft

Kenya Police Eurocopter AS350
Kenya Police Mil Mi-17

Weapons

Vehicles

Societal impact

Following concerns about human right abuses by the Kenya Police, efforts are being made to reform the force. Some Kenyan policemen face challenges with their housing that has not been expanded or renovated since the 1970s. These challenges have resulted to corruption and crime. Extortion and bribery are known practices and the Kenyan people rank the police among the most corrupt bodies in the country. In July 2010, the Minister, George Saitoti, announced a 28% pay increase for junior officers and a 25% pay increase for senior officers. This reform means that the most junior officer, a police constable, shall receive KSh.21,000/= per month including allowances.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Kenya Police Service". kenyapolice.go.ke. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2006.
  2. ↑ "The Kenya Police Service Strategic Plan 2003-2007" (PDF). humanrightsinitiative.org. p. 1. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  3. 1 2 Interpol Kenya. "FAQ". Interpol. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2013.
  4. 1 2 Mukami, Magdalene (24 April 2014). "Record number of Kenya police graduates in April". Aa.com.tr. Anadolu Agency. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  5. ↑ "Govt completes police digital registration, 101,288 in service". Nation. 19 March 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  6. ↑ "Kenya Police Service". kenyapolice.go.ke. Archived from the original on 26 November 2013. Retrieved 18 June 2006.
  7. ↑ "Home". National Police Service.
  8. 1 2 Aronson, Samuel L. (2010). "Crime and Development in Kenya: Emerging Trends and the Transnational Implications of Political, Economic, and Social Instability". Inquiries Journal. 2 (9).
  9. ↑ "The Kenya Police Recruitment Dates 2020/2021". Kenyadmission. 22 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 February 2024. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
  10. 1 2 Sommer, Hans-Martin (November 2007). History of the Police in Kenya 1885–1960 (Report).
  11. ↑ "Kenya Police Formation". Kenya Police. Archived from the original on 27 July 2010.
  12. ↑ "Number of senior police ranks reduced to boost service". Business Daily Africa. 30 January 2013. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "The National Police Service (Amendment) Bill, 2013". Commission on the Implementation of the Constitution. Retrieved 6 May 2014.
  14. ↑ "Insignia". 16 August 2007. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 27 December 2020.
  15. ↑ "Kenya Police Air Wing-becomes-first-African-customer-to-operate-Eurocopter-s-enhanced-AS350B3e-helicopter_860.html". Eurocopter. 12 January 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service (link)
  16. ↑ Fisher Jr, Richard D. (3 February 2016). "Kenya receives 30 Norinco VN4 armoured vehicles". Jane's Information Group. Archived from the original on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 6 March 2016.
  17. ↑ "kenyapolice.go.ke". Archived from the original on 11 July 2006. Retrieved 18 June 2006.
  18. ↑ "Survey: Police are most corrupt in Kenya". United Press International. 18 July 2008. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  19. ↑ "Kenya police still most corrupt". BBC News. 21 August 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2024.
  20. ↑ "Kenya police get pay raise". Daily Nation. 7 July 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2024.