Top cop reveals rot in police stations

Police are poor in keeping records and do not properly preserve exhibits.

The condition of the cells in their stations are also not conducive for holding suspects.

This acknowledgement was made on Wednesday by a senior officer from the CID inspections section.

Assistant Commissioner of Police John Ndiema said the blame lay squarely with the station commanders.

Mr Ndiema told the National Police Service Commission vetting panel in Nairobi that in some stations, female and male suspects were detained in the same cells.

“Police stations are dirty and they are neglected. There’s lack of proper record-keeping. Some stations are not fit for human habitation. The exhibits are not labelled and the stores are congested. The commanders are not keen on supervision and thus the stations are neglected,” he said.

Station commanders commonly known as OCS, are usually in charge of the police stations and hold the rank of Chief Inspector. They are yet to be vetted.

The third phase of the vetting ended on Wednesday in which 166 senior assistant commissioners of police (SACP) and assistant commissioners of police (ACP) were lined up, with the aim of retaining only those found fit to continue with law enforcement.

INTERVIEWED IN CAMERA

Unlike other sessions held on Wednesday, head of security at Central Bank George Kinoti was interviewed in camera. Commission chairman Johnston Kavuludi said this was done in the interest of national security.

Before being posted to CBK, Mr Kinoti served in various capacities at the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

Others who appeared before the panel on Wednesday were Mr Harrison Otieno of the Administration Police’s Rural Border Patrol Unit and the head of AP in Taita Taveta County, Mr Joseph Mativo.