Police reforms and service delivery in the National Police service, Nairobi county, Kenya

Abstract

Police service delivery in society has always come under sharp criticism globally. This has necessitated reforms to the service to align it to its roles and core functions which are critical for national development. This study examined the influence of the police service reforms on service delivery. The specific objectives; examine the effects of facilitation, public trust, and police attitude and responsiveness, on service delivery. A pragmatic research philosophy was adapted to guide the study. The study was anchored on New Public Management (NPM) theory, the motive-based theory, and the conflict theory. An explanatory sequential research design employing mixed method approach was applied. The design was Quan + Qual whereby the quantitative component drove the concurrent design. The target population was 2100 police officers, a sample of 214 police officers and a corresponding 105 members of the public participated in the study. In addition, 11 key informants were purposively selected. Questionnaires and a key informant interview guides were used to collect primary data. Qualitative data was analysed thematically, and excerpts reported in verbatim, while quantitative data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings on the demographic characteristics indicated that most (41%) of the police respondents had served in the police for a period of 6 to 10 years. In terms of the ranks 68% of the respondent officers were in higher ranks with a corresponding more experience hence, enhanced in-service delivery. There was no significant relationship between police facilitation and service delivery (r=0.036, p=0.601). Police reforms increased police mobility (60%), in terms of vehicles, motor bikes and other modes of transport. Further, the majority (64%) of the respondent officers asserted that physical infrastructure in place could not support police operations at the station level. On police officers vetting, 54 per cent of the respondents believed that it had fairly facilitated service delivery. However, according to the key informant interviews, 2000 officers have been vetted but majority of those recommended for removal have found their way back into the service through litigation process requiring fair administrative services. The NPSC is financially challenged to discharge its mandate. Members of the public have refused to participate in the vetting process with less than 10% giving their views. Findings on public trust and service delivery were not also statistically significant (r=-0.122, p=0.074). This finding is supported by the majority (94%) of the members of the public who lacked trust in the police service. The relationship between police attitude and responsiveness and service delivery were not significant (r=0.060, p=0.382). The majority (51%) of respondents believed there was no improvement in the relationship between the community and the police officers after the reforms while the majority (77%) perception on the working environment was not good even after the reforms. In conclusion police service facilitation, public trust and police attitude and responsiveness had no influence on service delivery and the police reforms currently being undertaken by NPS had no effect on service delivery. The study recommends development of a policy on policing and infrastructure upgrading. Police officers should be sensitized on the strategic orientation of the service and legal mandates. A holistic implementation of career guidelines on promotion of officers, retraining of officers on human rights and emerging security threats, sensitization of police officers on reforms and body and dash camera be introduced to enhance accountability and transparency among officers. The public should be more involved in the vetting process of police officers as the reform process as it is an undertaking that needs time, requires resources (physical, emotional, and attitudinal.