- They are expected to maintain law and order in difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk.
- Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma.
Image: The Star
A police officer who had gone missing with his rifle from his place of work in Rabai, Kilifi County was arrested hours later after a dramatic search.
The weapon- a G3 rifle with 20 bullets- was also recovered from where he had placed it before leaving.
The officer had on Friday, September 6 gone missing from his place of work after a night shift at the Rabai Kenya power station.
The head of the armoury realized he had not returned his weapon and called him seeking to know his whereabouts.
According to police, he informed them he had kept the weapon under containers at the workplace.
He claimed he had an emergency meeting in his Meru rural home.
A search was conducted but no recovery of the weapon was made then.
It was a decision was made to trace him and he was arrested at the Mariakani weighbridge while in a public service vehicle.
He was taken back to where he had kept the rifle and retrieved it.
Police said he was held in custody pending internal disciplinary measures.
It is not clear what motivated him to leave his place of work without proper permission.
Insiders blame the issue on trauma.
The trend is on the rise among police officers amid calls for action to address the same.
Officials say police are generally on the receiving end of all community problems.
They are expected to maintain law and order in difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk.
Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma.
Dozens of police officers have died as a result of suicide or killed many in a trend that is attributed to stress at work.
As part of efforts to address the trend, police authorities have launched counselling services and the National Police Service Commission has established a unit and staffed it to attend to their demanding situation.
The counselling unit will, among other things, evaluate, design and lead an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse.
At least three suicide cases involving police officers are recorded every month.