Don’t vilify the police, improve their pay and welfare first

In the past two weeks, the police have been in the news for all the wrong reasons. Last week it was the killing of a human rights lawyer, taxi driver and boda boda rider (God rest their souls). We had not gotten over the shock of the gruesome and macabre murders when the smell of gunpowder filled Kapenguria police station when one relatively young police officer turned a gun on his colleagues. Before he was neutralized, he had killed seven of his workmates including his immediate boss.

During this month another officer turned his gun on his superior then on himself. In Lamu a very young officer killed his lover and himself in a case of love triangle. This same week also a female police officer was obstructed by members after she had abducted a woman she accused of sleeping with her man. Apparently she had threatened to kill her.

These statistics point out to a worrying trend. It is a well-known fact that turnover at Vigilance and Jogoo house is at an all-time high. The country is at war, grappling with the omnipresent Al Shaabab dragon and domestic miscreants in the form of rustlers, robbers, organized criminals who are killing our police for sport.

The police service is under siege. These cases of suicidal vengeance points out to a deep underlying problem which needs to be addressed promptly.

One pertinent issue that needs to be addressed is welfare. Appendix 53 of the Service Standing orders lays down the provisions of Service welfare which have all along been ignored. We are obsessed with procurement of Chinese equipment and boosting numbers at the expense of the welfare of these valiant and patriotic men and women.

It must be pointed out that welfare is directly proportional to morale; improved welfare increases morale, lack of it decreases morale.

 Welfare is -defined as, Necessary measures for the physical and moral contentment of all ranks and their families and includes among others; comfort in police lines, adequate water supplies, recreation, sports and games, canteens, cinema shows and visiting sick officers.

Before December last year, police used to enjoy zero-rated beer and cigarettes from Armed Forces Canteen Organization (AFCO) stores. For the first time since independence AFCO goods are no longer exempted from VAT.

Over the years, this crucial ministry has been run by politicians and top police jobs have attracted all manner political intrigues and horse-trading. Police welfare has been neglected. It has become a non-issue talked about casually after the occurrence of a fatality and which is forgotten even before wreaths on officers’ graves wither.

These politicians feel contented on being saluted by officers in well-polished boots and well-pressed uniforms as they are driven back to their homes or mistresses’ home after a night of over-indulgence.

They are blind and deaf to the plight officers in the remotest part of Kenya; places like Kamathia, Loima, Nauyapong’, Kiunga, Mandera, Dukana to mention but a few. Cut off from their families and with no basic facilitation they survive by instincts and intuition every minute a reminder that death is only a heartbeat away.

The conditions in these places are enough to break the most valiant of men. It’s a pity that such sacrifices are not reciprocated by the political class which instead chooses to engage in political bickering and non-issues like taste of food in parliament.

We have also not explored the incidences of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder among the police.

Organizations which mind about their employees, establish counseling centers for them and families after a tragedy. It happened to families of those who perished aboard Kenya Airways flight in Douala, Cameroon in year 2000.

Purpose of counseling survivors and victims of tragedies is mitigate the effects of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which is prevalent among members of the armed forces. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it.

In 1970s after Vietnam War, there was surge in cases of suicide and violence among war veterans. Most of these cases were blamed on PTSD. Same scenario seems to be occurring in Kenya.

No one thinks about establishing a counseling department in the police service. We need to mitigate the effects of PTSD among officers in forward areas and those who have seen action. No matter the level and intensity of training, every man no matter how valiant has his breaking point.

Instead of vilifying our police, we should pay them well and counsel them to ameliorate effects of PTSD. We need each other more than ever.