The National Police Service has embarked on a transformation journey of recruiting and training new cadets in a program tailored to bring the much-needed change in line with changing security needs and dynamics.
Already the first batch of 300 civilian cadets, all university graduates, have commenced the training at the Kiganjo Police Training College, Nyeri, aimed at preparing them to take over command of police stations after successful completion of the 9-month course.
According to the NPS, the cadets will undergo thorough and comprehensive training on police work, leadership and management as well as exposure to the real work environment.
Speaking while presiding over the commencement of the training course, Interior and Coordination of National Government Cabinet Secretary, Fred Matiang’i, said the move was aimed at bringing leadership change in the service.
He noted that the government had done so much to the NPS by providing the necessary infrastructure and equipment (hardware) and it was time to shift gear towards changing the style of leadership (software).
“We want to change the manner in which we provide leadership and command in the police service and this is why we have university graduate’s direct entry to cadet training,” said the CS.
Matiang’i went on to say, “we have medical doctors, engineers, IT graduates, BED holders and students who have done first degree training in colleges so that we can prepare them to use their skills to deal with complexities and challenges of policing changing world.”
He said providing security was no longer a matter of force or use of weaponry but a matter of tact and skills.
“Crime is dynamic and the threats we face have changed and that is why we want to train new officers in a manner they are ready to police a modern country,” the CS said.
CS Matiang’i said the government was projecting that in the next five years, there will be no senior police officers at the rank of inspectors or officers commanding police stations and above who will not have undergone this program.
Inspector General of Police Hilary Mutyambai said upon successful completion of the ‘rigorous’ course, the group will be deployed as potential Officers Commanding Stations (OCS).
He continued that the group will after three years move to the next level of command as Sub-County Police Commanders and then progressively keep rising all the way to the regional command level.
Mutyambai also reported that they plan to have another recruitment of the same number of cadets in two years’ time to complete the cycle of deploying competent leadership in all the 700 police stations in the country.
By Samuel Waititu
