Crime
is a complicated social phenomenon that cannot be explained
from one perspective. Similarly, it cannot be solved
without active cooperation among members of the public,
various key sectors and law enforcement agencies. Indeed,
where positive collaboration among key actors is thriving,
both the incidence and fear of crime rapidly go down.
While it is the mandate of the police to generate strategies
to fight crime and disorder and bring criminals to justice,
this should not be misconstrued to mean we cannot involve
other people in our team. For this reason, the Kenya
Police shall continue to call on law abiding citizens
and our visitors to get actively involved in identifying
and generating solutions for crime problems affecting
their areas of business or residence. This is the essence
of the community policing strategy. In this regard,
it is critically important to engage the public actively
in the war on crime and disorder.
Community policing is the most effective strategy to
achieve this. The strategy introduces a new dimension
where the fight against crime is now a vibrant partnership
between the police and members of the public.
It should however not be confused with
vigilantism which is characterized by ragtag bands moving
in the night and bent on taking the law into their own
hands and terrorizing neighbourhoods. Rather, community
policing is a partnership between the residents of an
area and the police officers posted in that area. It
is effected through meetings of an elected committee.
Members are not self appointed and also do not exploit
residents or take the law in their own hands.
Some
of our strategies in addressing specific security challenges
facing Kenyans:-
Robberies targeting banks and
financial institutions
Police investigations reveal that there
is an increase in involvement of insiders in robberies
at banks and other financial institutions. This presents
a particularly challenging situation. It is therefore
critical that bank and financial institutions security
managers and their local police come together to work
out interventions that can effectively address this
emerging scenario.
On our part, we have put in place measures
to address it even as we continue to pursue armed gangsters
through intelligence-led policing. In the meantime,
all players in the sector should also strategize on
how to address the underlying causes of this betrayal
by their own staff.
We shall continue to apply measures
to contain armed robberies and prevent crime proactively.
These include, police roadblocks and police pre-journey
searches that have been introduced to intercept and
seize illegal guns and aid in preventing and containing
armed robberies.
Insecurity and cattle rustling
incidents
I would like to assure you that the
Kenya Police has the ability to contain insecurity throughout
the country. As a result, banditry and cattle rustling
incidents have been reduced to isolated incidents. Indeed,
our officers in the field, including the specialized
Anti Stock Theft Unit are working round the clock in
cattle-rustling prone areas to deal with it.
In addition, the government initiative
of disarmament coupled with livestock branding in areas
where rustling has been prevalent is also bearing good
fruits. Private initiatives such as those by celebrity
athlete, Tecla Lorupe have also contributed significantly
in these successes.
To reinforce the successes we, as a
member of the Eastern Africa Police Chiefs Organization
(EAPCCO), together with police chiefs from our neighboring
countries, have been developing effective strategies
to address crime problems affecting the region, including
cattle rustling, illegal possession and proliferation
of small arms.
The major challenge we face as a country
is that Kenya’s borders are very long. This and
the fact that we border countries that are or have been
in turmoil recently make the maintenance of security
a challenging assignment. The spill-over of small arms
into the country from such sources has resulted in armed
gangsters and carjackers getting access to and using
firearms during the commission of crime.
Corruption
My office has put in place an operation
involving undercover officers that has so far netted
a number of wayward police officers who have since been
interdicted and prosecuted in various courts of law.
Several programs have also been rolled
out within the Force to reinforce the internal structures
already in place to fight corruption. Police officers
are aware that if they break the law they shall face
justice. There are no two ways about that.
Crackdown on un-roadworthy and defective
motor Vehicles
I have ordered the Kenya Police Motor
Vehicle Inspection Unit and Traffic Police to continue
to deal decisively with violators of the Traffic Act,
with special emphasis on cracking down on un-roadworthy
and defective motor vehicles which must not be allowed
on our roads. These police operations are intended to
maintain safety and restore sanity on our roads. They
will continue until we are satisfied that no un-roadworthy
or defective vehicle is plying our roads.
I am appealing to the public not to board or travel
in un-roadworthy and defective vehicles to avoid inconvenience.
Instead they should report to police such vehicles.
Motorists are advised to ensure their
vehicles comply with the requirements of the law not
only because of this crackdown but also in the interest
of public safety.
Respect of the Law
The law of the country must be respected
at all times. It is the duty of the police to maintain
law and order. It is also the responsibility of the
public to obey the law.
Thank you.
Mr. Mathew Kirai Iteere CBS,EBS,OGW.
COMMISSIONER OF POLICE
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