Why top cops are worried for their jobs

Top police officers bedecked with medals and insignia are grappling with anxiety and uncertainty over likelihood of undergoing rigorous vetting once the new Constitution is implemented. The new Constitution will shake up the structure of the police force, as it will place the regular and Administration Police under one command.

The changes in the structure of the security forces are expected to be in place within the next two years. The fifth schedule of the new Constitution says on Article 245 the command of the National Police Force should be legislated before the end of two years.

Under the new constitution, a new structure to run the fresh new outfit will be formed. It will include the Police Service Commission, National Policing Council and Independent Policing Oversight Authority.

An Inspector General will head the new police force that would be called the National Police Force while Police and Administration Police units will each be headed by a Deputy Inspector General and a Commandant General respectively and both will report to the Inspector General.

There will be Assistant Inspector Generals for the General Service Unit (GSU), Operations and Directorate of Criminal Investigations Department (CID), while provincial police units will be headed by Police Commissioners and Assistant Commissioner of Police will run district level police divisions.

Even though the restructuring of the security forces will lead to the scrapping of some ranks, what is sending jitters through the police ranks are the drastic recommendations made last year by a commission headed by Justice Philip Ransley on police reforms.

The Ransley Commission that pegged its recommendation on the enactment of a new constitution said all senior officers must be vetted.

About 200 officers who are at the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) in both the Regular and Administration Police units are now said to be worried the recommendation could be effected soon after the constitution is promulgated.

Some senior officers who spoke to The Standard conceded they were not enthusiastic about the prospect of being vetted while others said they approve of it.

"We do not know what may happen to some of us because the recommendations are that we be vetted afresh," said one senior officer whose name cannot be revealed because he is not allowed to talk to the media about internal police affairs.

Psychological fitness

Ransley Report recommended the vetting of all officers at the rank of ACP and above using criteria to be developed jointly by Public Service Commission, Kenya Anti-Corruption Commission and National Security Intelligence Service.

The criteria will include professionalism, integrity, track record and psychological fitness.

The man heading the bid to reform the police, Kenya Airways Chief Executive Mr Titus Naikuni said he was aware that some officers were scared of the coming changes.

Naikuni who was picked by President Kibaki to steer the Police Reforms Implementation Committee, however said the officers should not worry since any reform measure would be executed in a professional manner.

Better institution

"Please take reforms seriously and be informed that for you to succeed the community has to be involved," he said.

Naikuni said the reforms were aimed at making the force a better institution.

He said that the British and Swedish governments have agreed to train both regular police and APs on community policing as part of reform measure.

Reports have also emerged Public Service Commission has started calling for the files of the 200 high-ranking officers in readiness for the exercise.

Some officers who have been promoted but who are still in acting capacity are said to be demanding their confirmation letters so that in the event they are retired early, they can get better severance pay.

The Ransley Report also called for the police force to be under one command and scrapping of some ranks while also recommending the creation of new ones.

One command

The new constitution that comes into force in the next few weeks has adopted the recommendation and places the forces under one command.

The Government has already lined up five major Bills that will put police reforms in motion once the President promulgates the approved constitution.

The Bills include Independent Police Oversight Bill, Police Reforms Bill, National Coroners Service Bill, Police Service Commission Bill and Private Security Providers Bill.

Internal Security Minister George Saitoti said the promulgation of the new constitution would usher in the National Police Service and National Police Service Commission, which will ensure harmonised delivery of services to the public.

Embrace changes

Yesterday, Police Commissioner Mathew Iteere and AP Commandant Kinuthia Mbugua said they welcomed any measure that would professionalise their forces.

They also said they were happy Kenyans voted in a new constitution and they are ready to embrace the changes. "We embrace changes that will ensure a better Kenya," said Mbugua.