Interior Cabinet Secretary, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and other officials during a learning tour on modern policing and crime prevention strategies in New York City./ MURKOMEN/XInterior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has said Kenya will adopt lessons from the New York Police Department (NYPD) as the government moves to establish the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit (NMPU).
Murkomen made the remarks during a security benchmarking tour in New York City, where he and a team of senior Kenyan officials were taken through presentations on how the NYPD investigates crime, tracks crime trends and deters criminal activities across the city's five boroughs.
According to the Cabinet Secretary, the department relies heavily on technology and data-driven policing methods. These include camera systems, social media research, facial recognition technology and vehicle identification systems.
“We are taking these lessons and best practices back home as we gear up for the establishment of the Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit,” Murkomen said.
He noted that the government's objective is to establish a modern, professional, and technology-driven police unit capable of responding effectively to emerging security threats in Nairobi and its surrounding areas.
“Our goal is to build a modern, professional, and technology-driven police unit capable of effectively responding to emerging security threats and safeguarding our City and its environs,” he said.
Screens displaying live security feeds and crime data at an NYPD operations centre in New York City./MURKOMEN/XThe visit forms part of a broader international learning mission aimed at drawing lessons from some of the world's leading urban policing institutions. The delegation is expected to visit Rome, London and Tokyo as the government finalises plans for the specialised metropolitan police unit.
The proposed Nairobi Metropolitan Police Unit is expected to strengthen security, maintain public order and address emerging criminal threats in Nairobi, one of Africa's fastest-growing metropolitan centres.
The initiative follows a directive issued by President William Ruto in February ordering the establishment of the unit to enhance security and protect the capital's economic interests.
Interior Cabinet Secretary, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja and other officials during a learning tour on modern policing and crime prevention strategies in New York City./ MURKOMEN/X
Murkomen was accompanied by Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, Deputy Inspector General of Police Eliud Lagat, Kenya's Ambassador to the United States David Kerich and other senior government officials involved in the project.
