Led by former Chief Justice David Maraga, the National Taskforce formed to look at how to improve the police force. This was in order to better delivery. The force has increased KCSE entry grade to the police service. This is among the requirements to join police service.
In a report tabled to the President about various recommendations, the taskforce recommended that various steps have to be taken. This is in order to improve discipline and bring about professionalism in the police force.
The new KCSE mean grade required for police recruits will be a C minus, up from the current D plain. This will also include an NYS training as a minimum requirement for selection to join either the Kenya Police Service or the Kenya Prisons Service.
However, in marginalised areas, the current qualifications will remain the same. This means that in marginalised regions, the entry grade will remain at D plain and D plus. These are for regions that have no people attaining C- interested in the police service.
Other recommendations include extending the training of recruits to 12 months. The training should concentrate on Competency Based training in line with international policing standards. The government should also introduce practical attachment component to the training of Police Officers.
Minimum age to join the police force has also been increased in the report. Currently, the police starts taking recruits from the age of 18 years. The report recommends that the minimum age to be set at 21 years to address immaturity cases in the police force.
In the case of cadets, training should not be less that 15 months for new recruits. This means they will take longer in training that ordinary police with constables suggested to not take less than one year in training. This makes requirements to join police even better for police officer’s image.
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In addition, the taskforce recommended addition of ranks to the police service to boost careers, thus morale among police officers. Grades like Inspector I and II, introduction of Constable I, II, and III and Corporal I, II a d III within the same ranks.
