Rob Macaire

Kenya and UK: Some thoughts on police reform

Many countries, Britain included, have reached moments when reform in the police service has become a pressing need.  My sense is that Kenya is at one of those moments now.   Security is a real issue.  Those of us who live in Nairobi are acutely aware of violent crime.  In recent weeks I have heard at first hand from people in Central province, in Laikipia and Isiolo, in Mombasa, and in Kisii about the crime problems they face.  And those are just the places I have been.  It's one of the issues that regularly comes at the top of opinion polling about people's concerns, and of course it remains a central element of the reform agenda.
 
We have been giving targeted support to improve the police's capacity in areas like forensics and crisis management work which are critical for security in Kenya. But I'm also glad that we have been able to help provide some practical support to the police reform task force itself.  We've done this, at the request of the Kenyan Government, by providing funding for quality international expertise to the task force - a technical police adviser,  local expertise, the South African deputy chair  and help with understanding oversight mechanisms. We are also supporting civil society to campaign for reform. .
 
The task force has produced its interim report and is due to complete its work soon.  Some have been sceptical, labelling it as "yet another commission"- we certainly won't be providing large scale support until we see evidence of real will to change policing culture.    But let's judge by results    I think there is a pretty strong appetite for serious reform of the police across the political spectrum , and amongst police  personnel themselves.  We'll be very interested to see how the recommendations are taken forward.  There has now been a shake-up at the top of the police, which is usually a precondition for far-reaching reform in any institution.  So let's see.
 
However, I really hope that such moves are not seen as an attack on the Kenyan police.   We all know that they do an almost impossible job, in dangerous circumstances, with very limited resources.  Police reform should be about boosting their ability to do their job, with Government investing more in policing and providing the men and women who risk their lives with a fair welfare and promotion package.  And a central ingredient in that is changing the relationship between the citizen and the security forces.  If the police are trusted by the public, they will have a cooperative environment to work in.  Many countries have found that to be the key in effective police reform.   Part of that is indeed about accountability of the police force, and independent oversight.  But if that relationship can be shifted, so that people have faith in the police to solve crimes, and not to demand bribes or to break the law themselves, the morale of the force should soar.  These are general points from experience around the world, but I believe they hold good in Kenya.  What do you think?

Posted at 09:36 18 September 2009 by Rob Macaire  |  Comments[4]