INFLUENCE OF POLICE REFORMS ON MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF NAKURU COUNTY
INFLUENCE OF POLICE REFORMS ON MAINTENANCE OF LAW AND ORDER IN KENYA: A CASE STUDY OF NAKURU COUNTY
Elvis Makokha
Moses M. Muthinja
ABSTRACT
The Kenya government has undertaken numerous reforms in the National Police Service with the main aim of restructuring the service and instituting interventions aimed at enhancing its efficacy. This study examines influence of police reforms on maintenance of law and order in Kenya. The objectives of this study were: to establish the influence of increased police workforce and police equipment on maintenance of law and order in Nakuru County. A descriptive survey research design was used to conduct the study. This study targeted 309 police officers in Nakuru Town East and West sub counties and 9 high ranking key personnel in charge of the management of the police. The sample size for the study was 101; 1CPC, 2 OCPDs; and 6 OCS; and 92 police officers. Data was collected from police officers by use of questionnaires while interviews schedules were used to collect data from high ranking officer and observation used to complement interviews. Data was analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively with the aid of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive analysis to generate descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, and standard deviations. Qualitative data collected from interviews, was analyzed thematically in accordance with the specific study objectives. Regression analysis was conducted to determine the influence of reforms on performance of police duties. The study established that increased police work force and police equipment significantly affected maintenance of law and order. The independent variables accounted for 67.6% variation in the maintenance of law and order. Further, 97.8% of the respondents indicated that there were no adequate police officers in Nakuru County to maintain law and order as the police officer: civilians ratio of 1:1081 falls below the recommended standard by the UN; 94.4% of police officers in Nakuru County indicated that they have adequate firearms, (85.6%) duty gear equipment, 97.8% riot gear equipment and well serviced & fuelled vehicles. However, 86.7% indicated that they lack police body armor and 90.0% adequate motor vehicles. The study also found out that there is minimal use of technology by the police in Nakuru County with 91.1% of police officers indicating that they use social media platforms, 98.1% modern communication equipment and Zoom for court proceedings. Therefore this study recommends that: The National Police Service Commission recruits sufficient police officers to maintain law and order; The NPSC fast tracks implementation of reforms in the recruitment and training of police officers; the NPSC facilitates the procurement of adequate equipment for the police especially motor vehicles and ballistic vests; and the digitalization of the OB and record management; the establishment of the surveillance centre and the forensic crime laboratory be cascaded down to the county level.
