Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI) Mohamed Amin has rolled out an induction training for police officers who have recently been posted to the Internal Affairs Unit (IAU), a move seen as part of broader efforts to improve police accountability in the country.
The launch at the National Police Leadership Academy (NPLA) in Ngong saw Amin representing Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja.
Amin called on the new officers, in his address, to serve with integrity, professionalism, and humility, values he said are required if the National Police Service is to regain public trust.
"This training is not only about skills. It is about values. The ones that create credibility and make citizens trust us again," he told the officers.The course is being carried out in partnership with the International Justice Mission (IJM), which has been working with the police in attempting to transform and enhance standards within the service.
Vincent Chahale, IJM Kenya chief, reminded the officers that how they handle internal accountability had the potential to make or break public confidence in the police.
"Your actions will represent the entire police service. If you do it well, the public perception is that a service is cleaning its own house," he stated.The officers are to be taken through practical sessions in some of the key areas like human rights, eradicating corruption, enforcing internal controls, and appreciating police oversight mechanisms. The goal, trainers indicate, is to equip them to manage misconduct while raising the bar for professional policing.
Also present were several senior police officers including IAU Director Boniface Maingi, NPLA Commandant Kainga Mathiu, Deputy Commandant Dr. David Muthondeki, and Dean of Studies Sicily Gatiti.
The Internal Affairs Unit has been leading the way in making police officers accountable and cases of abuse or misconduct handled in a speedy and transparent way.