The Kenya Police and the entire citizenry will be marking the first anniversary of Community Policing on 27th of May 2006. As result, this week, starting 22nd to 27th May 2006 has been declared by the Commissioner of Police a Community Policing Week. The celebrations started on Monday 22nd May 2006 with a one week free medical camp at Ngong Police Divisional Headquarters in Ongata Rongai. The medical camp is organized by the Kenya Police in conjunction with the Ministry of Health.

Since 2003 Kenya has embraced community based policing which started with a 15-man task force appointed by the President. Members of the public have exhibited great interest in working together with the Police to ensure reduction of crime in their communities and more specifically in their neighborhoods. The commitment the government has shown in ensuring that the police are sufficiently equipped has strengthened the police ability to fight crime in the country.

During the year the relationship between the police and the public has improved tremendously. As a result of the public volunteering information and support to the police notorious criminals have been apprehended. Since the wake of community policing drug traffickers have also been apprehended and large consignments of drugs confiscated. Mob justice that had been on the increase has now greatly declined as members of the public prefer to hand over suspects to the police with the confidence that every effort will be made to ensure that justice prevails. Cases of traffic offences and traffic accidents have declined because people have been sensitized through community policing forums on road safety measures. Collection of intelligence has become easier while crime scenes evidence collection is also proving to be more effective because now members of the public understand the importance of preserving scenes of crime. All these has been achievements have been possible by the cooperation between the police and the public.

As the country celebrates one year of community policing it is evident that there have been tremendous achievements in the fight against crime through this partnership. Indeed a single year of partnership has proved to both the police and the public that crime can be controlled if everybody contributes in the fight against it.

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