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| Parklands police station where one police officer killed two of his colleagues. 14-05-2011. |
Titus Naikuni who is the chair of the Police Reforms Implementation Committee should consider reforming the tempers of some police officers.
Another issue to be focussed on should the senior –junior relationships between the officers.
The recruits joining the police force should be taught that anger doesn’t help but worsens the already bad situation and that pulling the trigger isn’t the solution.
These two issues if tackled well will go a long way in avoiding incidences where junior police officers have pulled the trigger on their seniors.
On Saturday, what appeared like a normal day turned tragic when one police officer shot dead his senior at Parklands police station.
Police constable Jacob Rop who had ended his night duties and was returning his firearm to the amoury had a brief quarrel with his boss Senior Sergeant Hassan Yusuf before pulling the trigger.
A lost child at the station recounted the Saturday morning events. “He came in and they had a brief quarrel. He was slapped by Senior before he shot him.” said the boy.
The boy said that after constable Rop had shot Sergeant Yusuf, he proceeded to the main reception where he shot another officer constable Stephen Maranga.
The boy added that Rop then shot himself outside the police station.
Rops colleagues, some who sobbed uncontrollably said he was carrying a G3 rifle.
Outside the police station, there was a pool of blood as curious onlookers milled around to see what had happened.
Dujis MP Adan Duale arrived at the scene minutes later and said that Yusuf was his relative and that they were making arrangements for burial in Garrissa on the same day- in accordance with Muslim rites.
“He is my relative and a long serving police officer. It’s very sad.” He said.
Nairobi PPO Antony Kibuchi termed the incident unfortunate and said that he will latter come up with a statement on the cause of the killing.
But let’s look at the lives of police officers. Although they are labeled as the most corrupt – especially the traffic department, their lives sometimes are hell on earth.
We all have different abilities to withstand the crazy things we see on a daily basis.
From carrying accident victims some completely mutilated, murdered people on the roadsides to all the odd jobs in society, there must be always stress inflicted I these officers.
We all have different capabilities of managing stress and it will be prudent to set up a guiding and counseling centre at every police division.
I think officers should go for routine counseling at least twice a month. This will help them differentiate between their jobs and them as parents and people who belong to a family.
Lying blame everyday to them that they are corrupt; indiscipline and trigger happy won’t solve anything. The buck stops with us.
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