Interior CS Fred Matiang'i on Wednesday, July 29, announced changes in the forthcoming police recruitment that is set to lockout thousands of hopefuls.
Matiang'i was speaking during former Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet's book launch at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).
The Cabinet Secretary noted that the new changes could see the police service adopt new qualifications for police officers.
"Training of our new cadet officers will inject new capacities, new energy in the manner in which we lead the police force.
"We are going to recruit new police officers in a new recruitment regime, we will soon announce once the consultations are complete, the new criteria for recruiting new police officers may include a change in basic qualifications for entry," he explained.
Matang'i noted that strengthening the multi-agency framework that was directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta has been beneficial with its success being key in the security of the country.
The new Police Leadership Academy in Karen, Nairobi will also take management in the police service to the next level as the Ministry aims to increase professionalisation in the sector.
The Government is looking to beef up resources in the sector including the Government Chemist, Crime Research Centre and Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to require more highly skilled officers.
The CS lauded Members of Parliament for maximising National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF) to effectively to improve police stations around the country.
Graduates
Previously Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho had inted that the next recruitment exercise would see half of the 10,000 recruits being university graduates.
To join the police service under the current requirements one needs to have scored D+ (plus) and above in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations.
Matiang’i also previously stated that future training programmes for police would incorporate a compulsory component of information and communications technology education.
Cadets are also set to be introduced in the merged National Police Service as part of the ongoing modernisation and reforms with the first team will be selected and begin a rigorous eight-month course.
The raft of changes come as the country has reported an increased number of cases of police brutality with the public calling for amendments in the service.
Police are yet to conduct any recruitment this year after the government shelved the plans over massive budget cuts to fund the war on Coronavirus.
The changes are yet to be officially effected as they are currently being floated in as proposals.
