Matiangi to launch competition for cleanest police station, winner to be promoted

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i on Monday announced that the government, through the police service, will in July this year introduce an annual competition to identify the cleanest police station in the country.

Dr. Matiang’i, while addressing senior officers at the Kenya Police Staff Training College in Loresho, stated that Officer Commanding Station (OCS) of the winning station in the competition will be promoted automatically.

The CS stated that citizens have a right to be served in clean environments that are not demeaning or do not dehumanize them.

“I will go to Naivasha Police Station myself, that’s where we’re going to begin this competition; we want clean police stations. When wananchi come to be served, let them be served in a clean and respectful environment. We will begin the assessment after July when you have had enough time to talk to your commanders in the field,” said Mr. Matiang’i.

“And we agreed with I.G (Inspector General of Police Joseph Boinnet) that the OCS of the cleanest and best police station in the country should be promoted automatically.”

The CS also urged the senior police officers, composed majorly of regional commanders, to make regular visits to police stations within their assigned areas to ensure smooth running of operations as well as to interact with their juniors.

“One area we must improve in the police service from this day forward is managing the police officers we’re in charge of. You regional police officers must manage the people we have given you; managing people means visiting them, sitting down with them and listening to them,” he said.

According to the CS, President Uhuru Kenyatta is set to launch a new modern senior police leadership training campus in Karen where officers will interact with and receive training from their colleagues across the world.

“Policing has changed; long time ago we used to think that all you needed to be a good police officer is muscle, a rungu or a gun and some sort of voice so that you push people around,” said the Interior Ministry boss.

“Now we know you need a lot more than that. Crime has become sophisticated; we’re dealing with a highly sophisticated criminal environment.”