Police Call for Stronger Spiritual Support from Public

The head of chaplaincy services in the Kenya Police, Francis Kooli has called on the public to feel free to include police officers in their day-to-day religious activities as part of the efforts to manage challenges facing the society.

Kooli, who is leading a team of chaplains from the police headquarters on a tour of the region to assess chaplaincy programmes said partnership between the officers and the civilian population has been of great help not only to the individual officers but also to the entire society hence the need to strengthen it.

“For Christians of the Catholic faith, feel free to bring small Christian community meetings (Jumuiya) to our houses,” he said

Addressing the media at the Siaya county police headquarters, Kooli said the officers were human beings like the rest of the Kenyans and need emotional and psychological support occasionally.

“Do not look and see the uniform. See the human being in the uniform,” he said, adding, “Do not just sit and watch us suffer when you can do something to support us.”

Kooli said that the police leadership, under the stewardship of the Inspector General and his deputy was committed to ensuring that the officers received the best spiritual nourishment wherever they were serving.

“Under the leadership of our inspector general and deputy inspector general, they have directed that we cover the entire country, deploy properly and conduct training so that we build the capacity of our officers to ensure they serve the public,” he said.

The chaplaincy team noted achievements made through collaboration with members of the public, such as the construction of chapels and mosques.

“In Bondo, a well-wisher dug a borehole for us while in Mombasa, our collaboration with well-wishers saw our Muslim and Christian communities coming together to build places of worship for officers,” he said.

Kooli said such efforts have helped provide the officers with safe spaces for reflection and healing.