Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Eliud Lagat made an unannounced visit to the Kilimani police station in Nairobi to assess how police are interacting with the public. Arriving at the station on Wednesday at 8:15 p.m. with a few officers, he proceeded to the report office.
Upon introducing himself to the female constable on duty, he caused a stir. Lagat explained that his visit was to review the working conditions at the station and evaluate how officers manage their interactions with the public. The constable provided him with details of the day’s cases before her superiors, who had been alerted to the visit, hurried to the report office.
During his visit, Lagat inquired about the absence of CCTV cameras at the Kilimani station, noting that the nearby DCI offices were equipped with them.
Kilimani police chief Ben Kobia attributed the lack of cameras to resource constraints. However, Lagat countered that the DCI offices had utilized their resources to install functional cameras, suggesting that similar measures should be taken for the Kilimani station.
“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, Deputy Inspector General Eliud Lagat conducted unannounced inspections at Mbale Police Station in Vihiga and Kondele Police Station in Kisumu. His visits also included the Industrial Area and Mwiki police stations in Nairobi, as well as interactions with personnel at various police roadblocks.
Lagat has expressed concerns over the poor management of some police facilities despite the availability of resources that could improve them. He warned police commanders against complacency in service delivery and pledged to drive changes during his tenure.
Plans are underway to install CCTV cameras in all police stations. The lack of functioning CCTV cameras at Gigiri police station, which facilitated the escape of 13 suspects including the serial Kware murder suspect Collins Jumaisi, has underscored the need for this upgrade.
As the Deputy Inspector General, Lagat oversees more than 1,500 police stations across the country. Each of Kenya’s 1,520 wards now hosts a police station under the command of ward commanders, formerly known as Officers Commanding Stations.
