MPs Order Police to Boost Counselling Services for Officers
The National Assembly’s Committee for Unity and Equality of Opportunity has instructed the National Police Service Commission (NPSC) to improve support services provided to law enforcement personnel.
The committee stated that this action will shield officers from experiencing stress and psychological torment as part of their job duties.
The team asked NPSC Chief Executive Officer Peter Leley to hire additional professional counselors to offer the essential support.
At the meeting led by Mandera West MP Adan Yusuf Haji, the group emphasized the critical necessity of establishing additional counseling centers throughout the nation to cater to the needs of these officers.
The committee observed that the present regional counseling centers were insufficient to cater to the growing number of officers needing support.
Recognizing that the nation was experiencing high rates of officer suicides and facing various difficulties, Haji implored the commission to promptly tackle this issue by sending additional counselors to support the personnel.
"The present counseling centers in the region are inadequate for offering psychological support to police officers," stated the Member of Parliament for Mandera West.
In his presentation to the committee, the CEO stated that during the fiscal years 2021/2022 and 2022/2023, the commission hired and dispatched 38 counselors and social workers across various regions and into 12 centers.
These centers encompass Embu and Machakos in the Eastern province, Lamu and Mombasa along the coast, Kisumu in Nyanza, Nakuru and Eldoret within the Rift Valley, Nyeri and Kiambu in Central Kenya, Mandera and Marsabit in the North Eastern area, Kakamega in the West, as well as several key facilities such as the Nairobi regional police station, Special Grants Branch (SGB), General Service Unit (GSU) headquarters, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) training academy all located in the Nairobi region.
The Luanda Member of Parliament, Dick Maungu, mentioned that the facilities were located too distant from the personnel.
"An officer originating from my hometown of Luanda faces challenges when trying to reach Kakamega for counseling support. These services should be made more readily available," he stated.
Leley informed the Committee that the Commission has set up five regional offices aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness in serving police officers.
The five area-based offices are located in Mombasa, Garissa, Kakamega, Kisumu, and Nairobi.
He informed the Committee that during the 2023 to 2027 fiscal period, the commission intends to set up and outfit five more regional offices.