A police officer in Kerugoya on Thursday died by suicide in his apartment, moments after leaving behind a note to his lover.
In a police report filed under OB 42/27/9/2023, officer Allan Kihumba Njuguna was found hanging on a manilla rope from the roof of his rented house.
He left behind a note in his notebook which said "short story if anything happens, I loved you."
According to the report, the officer had locked the door from inside. A further search of his phone's history showed that the officer had searched online how to commit suicide before taking his life.
The officer's phone was processed and documented by the security operations center (SOC) at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Kirinyaga.
His body was moved to Kerugoya County Referral Hospital Mortuary. The case is pending investigations at the DCI Kirinyaga Central Police Station.
This case highlights the challenges faced by law enforcement officers in high-stress and demanding environments, which can have dire effects on their mental health.
According to the latest data from the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), one out of every ten police officers struggles with mental health issues.
This means that at least 12,000 police officers are facing mental health challenges as a result of work-related issues.
Other factors include family-related difficulties and high cost of living.
In an effort to tackle these issues, Deputy Inspector General of Police Noor Gabow said that senior police officers are undergoing training to assist their subordinates in the workplace.
Additionally, the police service has set up channels of communication to detect any form of stress among them.
Gabow also said that any mental illness-related cases should be attended to immediately.
Counselors, medics, and psychologists recommend seeking help whenever you experience any mental health issue. Call the Kenya Red Cross toll-free hotline, 1199, for support.
