POLICE SERVICE DELIVERY

DIG Lagat makes surprise visit to Kilimani police station

He urged police officers to use the available resources to make stations safe and clean.

In Summary
  • He arrived at the station Wednesday at 8.15 pm accompanied by a few officers before he walked to the report office.
  • He introduced himself to the female constable of police present prompting panic.
DIG Lagat (second right) engages police officers at Kilimani police station on August 21 at night-Handout
DIG Lagat (second right) engages police officers at Kilimani police station on August 21 at night-Handout

Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat made an unexpected visit to Kilimani police station in Nairobi to establish how police treat the public there.

He arrived at the station Wednesday at 8.15 pm accompanied by a few officers before he walked to the report office.

He introduced himself to the female constable of police present prompting panic.

Lagat told the officer he was there to check on their working environment in general and how they handle the public.

She then presented him with details of the cases they had handled for the day before her bosses who had gotten wind of it rushed to the report office.

Lagat used the opportunity to ask why the station does not have CCTV cameras compared to the DCI offices, which are a few meters away.

Kilimani police boss Ben Kobia said lack of resources had hampered the installation of the cameras.

But Lagat argued the DCI side had used its resources to install working cameras for the station at large.

“This should be a call to all others. Let us use available resources to make our working environment better and safer."

"I am very keen on service delivery to the members of the public, and you must take responsibility for every act you are doing," he said.

He spent an hour at the station chatting with the officers and visited various places including the children's holding area, which he argued is modern.

This is the latest such visit the police boss is making to stations as he pushes his officers to change their attitude at work.

“When you serve a member of the public don’t seek to know who is or what he or she is. Please serve with humility. They are your bosses,” he said.

Last week, Lagat made similar unexpected visits to Mbale Police Station in Vihiga, and Kondele Police Station in Kisumu.

He has also visited the Industrial Area and Mwiki police stations in Nairobi in his mission.

He had also made stops at police roadblocks where he interacted with personnel there.

Lagat has complained some police facilities are poorly managed yet there are resources that can make them better.

He warned the police commanders against laxity in service delivery and vowed to make a change while in office.

There are plans to install CCTV cameras in all police stations.

Lack of working CCTV cameras at Gigiri police station enabled the escape of 13 suspects including serial Kware murder suspect Collins Jumaisi.

As the DIG, he is in charge of the more than 1,500 police stations in the country.

Each of the country's 1,520 wards now has a police station under ward commanders formerly known as Officer Commanding Station.

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