A General Service Unit (GSU) officer based in Njiru, Nairobi County has been arrested for threatening to kill his wife, child and father who is a senior police officer at Vigilance House.
According to a police report filed under OB 18 /01/10/2023, the incident began when the cop arrived home at night reportedly in a drunk state and began quarrelling with his wife over money.
The officer, who was off-duty at the time, became violent and began breaking window panes at the living room.
According to the report, the officer's father who was at the home at that precise moment, rushed to the living room over the commotion and found his son livid.
The situation escalated after the GSU officer picked a kitchen knife and threatened to kill everyone in the room including his wife, two-weeks old baby and father.
The father informed police officers from Mihang'o police station of the situation who proceeded to the scene.
"The detectives found the violent officer who was immediately arrested and escorted to Mihang'o police station and detained for the offence of threatening to kill," read part of the report.
Police officers who visited the scene recovered a kitchen knife which was admitted as evidence.
According to Section 223 of the Penal Code, any person who directly or indirectly threatens to kill a person is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for ten years.
The situation 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 report by the National Police Service Commission (NPSC), at least 12,000 officers face mental health challenges as a result of work-related challenges. Other factors include family-related issues as well as the high cost of living.
In order to tackle these challenges, the police service has set up direct channels of communication to allow officers to air out their grievances.
