THE EXECUTIVE MUST NOT PROTECT ROGUE POLICE OFFICERS.

Police officers are supposed to resort to deadly force only in the event of imminent death or serious physical injury to the officer or another person. As part of their training they are specifically warned that shooting incidents shall be reviewed to ensure an impartial investigation and that in the event that an officer is found culpable disciplinary measures shall be meted appropriately. Unfortunately, these are the laws whose inviolability does not live beyond the gates of the police training colleges. As soon as typical police officers graduate from college they apparently formulate their own set of rules.

An effective officer becomes the tough, mean, no nonsense man or woman, with more brawn than brain who has to murder many (albeit; innocent and defenseless) citizens and then hope to be feted for their valor. Adherence to the existing Professional Code of Conduct for the police force as well as the Public Officer Ethics Act (2003) is immaterial. Matters are even made worse considering that the top police brass has over time hastened to dismiss as baseless lingering questions impinging negatively on roguish officers.

In an attempt to respond to the reports of gross misconduct in the police force, the Kenyan government established a task force headed by Retired Judge Phillip Ransley to study the problems bedeviling the police force and make recommendations which would support the formation of a police service that would meet the needs of civilians and institutions guided by principles of accountability, integrity, respect for human rights, non-discrimination, impartiality, fairness and professionalism.

The committee detailed among other things the abuses of power, poor investigative techniques, lack of oversight, de-motivation and inadequate academic standards among police officers among other issues. With the adoption of the report and formation of the a special committee to oversee Police reforms under the chairmanship of Mr. Titus Naikuni, the public hoped that the police force will never again occupy the “unique position” that permitted improper activity without accountability. Key to the process of democratic reform was to focus the police to understand the needs of the general public in terms of the provision of policing services, and motivating and supporting police in meeting these needs rather serving certain sectional interests. The public expected above all else that these reforms will support adherence to human rights.

Unfortunately, two years down the line, police officers have become more de-motivated and ineffectual than they were. This is why for the umpteenth time the country has witnessed trigger happy police officers shoot and kill innocent and defenseless members of the public. In one such incident a 75 years old man was gunned down in cold blood by police officers in Kangemi. Barely four months ago, another gang of trigger happy police officers ended the budding lives of seven taxi drivers on the mere allegations that they were members of the proscribed Mungiki outfit.

Even though the government has been quick at condemning such acts as clearly wrong and quite indefensible, the courts of law have been averse to delivering justice. Just this month, a police officer who was seen in broad daylight shooting and killing a protester during the 2008 post election violence was acquitted for lack of evidence.

It is such miscarriage of justice that has seen the public trust in the police officers remain at an all time low. In the estimation of the public, many of the police officers are no different from a monkey with a loaded gun. This is one reason why the much touted community policing program became a cropper. It is also the reason why the public still has serious doubts as to whether the Government is fully committed in implementing to the letter the much touted police reforms.

Giving lame excuses (as some government functionaries are doing) is a great disservice to the public. Implementation of police reforms is not tied to the passage of a new constitution. The public therefore demands that action must be taken now against these rogue officers.

TOME-FRANCIS,
BUMULA.
http://twitter.com/tomefrancis