MY SPEECH DURING THE VALIDATION LAUNCH OF THE COMMUNITY POLICING POLICY ON 15 MAY 2014 • Representatives of the UNODC • Senior officers from the Ministry • Senior Police officers • Invited Guests • Ladies and Gentlemen Today, is a great day for me and the National Police Service as it marks the beginning of a more structured manner in which the Police will engage the community through community policing. The launch of this document could not have come at a better time in the history of this country. I say this because we all acknowledge that we are facing some security challenges which need the collaboration of all the security agencies and the public more than ever before. Community policing is now properly hangered in our laws by the provision of the Constitution Article 244 which provides the objects and functions of the National Police Service. Paragraph (e) provides that “the National Police Service shall foster and promote relationships with the broader society. This provision informs the hinging of community policing in the National Police Service Act 2011 from Section 96 to 100. Before the coming into being of this Law, there had been many initiatives previously to engage the community through this concept. Although this is now a word widely used in the country there has been no proper policy guidelines to ensure that all stakeholders are brought on board and their potential exploited fully. It is envisaged that through this system, there will be proper organization, which will bring ideal cooperation between the security agencies and individual citizens, civic groups, public and private institutions in identifying and resolving issues which affect livability of specific neighborhoods. It is acknowledged that the Police cannot effectively deal with the issues that affect neighborhood security matters alone and must therefore partner with everyone else who share a mutual and honest concern of peace and tranquility. The essence of community policing is prevention, early identification and timely intervention in dealing with issues before they can become wild problems. We therefore expect through this strategy to achieve more and effective efficient crime control, reduce fear of crime and improve quality of life through a proactive reliance on community resources that strive to change crime causing conditions. The country is facing some security challenges which calls for our concerted efforts to deal with. Through this structure, we anticipate to reinvigorate our communities so that we can together crate safe neighbourhoods. We expect there will be challenges especially in dealing with some areas which are inhabited by militarized communities with historical mistrust but we will not be discouraged. We understand well that building a foundation of trust will allow the police to form close relationships with the community and by so doing, meaningful achievements will be realized. As the countries security agencies continues to see to it that the terrorist activities are neutralized, I wish to thank Kenyans for increasing their level alertness and no longer the assuming lot they had been known to be and this should be maintained. We are more than ever before receiving information on suspicious characters or abandoned bags and I want to assure the country that together we shall defeat all manner of threats that may rise against our Nation. As I said in another forum, we should all draw inspiration from the powerful words of part of stancer two of our National Anthem which says “Service be our earnest endeavour, and our homeland of Kenya, Heritage of splendor, firm may we stand to defend”. Every citizen has a civic responsibility to defend this country by whatever means, and community policing provides the platform for citizens to join hands with security agencies to defend the country. In conclusion I wish to thank those who were involved in one way or the other in the development of this Policy. In particular I appreciate the UNODC for financing the process which has brought us this far. Thank you and may God bless you. (DAVID M. KIMAIYO) MGH, CBS INSPECTOR GENERAL NATIONAL POLICE SERVICE
Posted on: Thu, 15 May 2014 11:58:37 +0000
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