Police Service Transformation: Addressing the Welfare of the Police through Security Sector Reforms in Kenya

Abstract

Many nations of the world have been preoccupied with putting in place policies that encourage security sector reforms. In Kenya, the major police reform documents and task forces since 2000 provide for an ambitious set of reform processes aimed at addressing a long term negative perception of the police in Kenya since independence depicted as abusive, corrupt, and ineffective hence national yearning for police transformation. The specific objectives of this study were to assess how the Security Sector Reforms (SSRs) in the Police Service Transformation (PST) have addressed the welfare of police officers. The study was guided by the expectancy theory by Vroom. Ex post facto design employing mixed method approach in data collection was used. The target population was law enforcement officers of National Police Service (NPS) in Nairobi County and other stakeholders involved in Police Reforms Task. The study sample was . The study used probability and non- probability sampling methods to select respondents. The research instruments used were questionnaires, interview schedules and focus groups discussion guides. The study established that the expected implementation of SSRs had not been fully done as recommended by the task force. The envisioned reforms in addressing the welfare of police officers has thus not been realized The study findings are significant to police organization and other stakeholders working with NPS to evaluate and asses the positive aspects of the reforms, the gaps and the areas that require redress for peak performance of police officers. (242 words)