Police Service Identifies Cause of Suicide, Murder Among Officers

Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai during a passing out parade for 1,224 officers in December 2019
Inspector General Hillary Mutyambai during a passing out parade for 1,224 officers in December 2019
File

The National Police Service Commission (NPSC) has identified the main cause of murders and suicide among its officers.

The findings were made and discussed at a meeting involving NPSC Chairperson Eluid Kinuthia and a number of County Commissioners drawn from Central Kenya, and led by Regional Police Command Augustine Nthumbi.

The service pegged the spike in murder and suicide among police officers on the limited supervision of junior officers residing outside police camps.

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Police fetch a body at a crime scene in Kiambu in 2019
File

"Stagnation in rank, disciplinary actions arising from desertion and inadequate monitoring of junior officers leaving outside police lines are among causes of stress in officers identified," read a statement from the commission.

Following the meeting, the commanders unanimously agreed to develop and strengthen a structured communication channel, as well as enhance monitoring of police officers.

Counselling of officers was also agreed upon by the commanders to reduce cases of deaths and depression among the officers.

The service also agreed on mitigation measures for police officers who may be batting psychosocial issues in the Central region. 

The commanders led by Antony Kibuchi, EBS, Chairman National Association of Retired Police Officers-Kenya (NARPOK) Kirinyaga County, met and consoled with police and prison officers in Wang'uru police station.

The station recently lost two police officers after one of them killed his colleague before turning the gun on himself in what is suspected to have been a love triangle gone sour.

Cases of police officers turning against each other have been on the rise. Just recently, a police officer in Nairobi shot himself after fatality shooting a female officer.

The incident happened on Sunday, January 3, with reports indicating that the officer had earlier on Saturday night shot the female officer and another colleague after disagreeing on their relationship.

The officer is said to have opened fire on his colleagues killing the lady and injuring another on the hand.

 

A police car in Kenya
A police car in Kenya.
Photo
NPS
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