There is no bad blood between IPOA and the Police, says Chair.

 NEW OFFICE:THE INDEPENDENT POLICING OVERSIGHT AUTHORITY{IPOA} NATIONAL CHAIRMAN MACHARIA NJERU CUTS THE TAPE TO OFFICIALLY OPEN THE WESTERN KENYA IPOA REGIONAL OFFICE IN KISUMU.LOOKING ON IS KISUMU COUNTY COMMISSIONER MAALIM MOHAMED.Photo By Dickson Odhiambo.

By Dickson Odhiambo.

June 1, 2017.

There is no bad blood between IPOA and the Police, says Chair.

THERE is no bad relationship between the National Police Service and the Independent Policing Oversight Authority, IPOA Chairman has said.

The Independent Policing Oversight Authority {IPOA} Chairman Macharia Njeru has said that the two bodies work hand in hand and has no bad relationship at all as far as working is concerned.

Speaking in Kisumu on Wednesday during the official launch of the Western Kenya IPOA regional office along Oginga Odinga Street, Njeru said the IPOA they have been having a cordial working relationship.

Njeru says there are on many occasion that the National Police Service have approached IPOA while asking them to take up some matters within the service and investigate.

He says there may be some few bad element within the National Police Service but this does not mean the entire service can be condemned in its totality.

The IPOA boss says they have worked well with the National Police Service at an estimated 98 percent.

“There are always some rotten police officers and we have worked well with the police well and I want to change this narrative that there is bad blood between us and the Police,” he says.

He says the police have powers that the civilian do not have and if they commit any crime then they are looked at keenly and it is more pronounced.

He says the Authority will always be impartial while dealing with the Police and the public.

Njeru says the Police and the Authority nowadays deals with the public who are very much informed hence a lot of care should be taken when exercising the powers bestowed upon the police.

He says police should not resort to the use of excessive force when dealing with issues like riots among others.

He also urged the public to allow the police to do their work without interference but must do so within the confines of the laws.

He says the Authority has a vision of a robust civilian accountability mechanisms that promotes public trust and confidence in the National Police Service.

The IPOA was established through an Act of Parliament published in November 2011 to provide for civilian oversight over the work of the police in Kenya.The Inaugural board was sworn into office in June 2012.

Among its mandates includes investigating serious injuries caused by police action as well as investigating police misconduct.

The Authority also monitor, review and Audit investigations and actions by the internal Affairs unit of the police as well as conducting inspections at the police premises.

IPOA also monitors the police operations affecting members of the Public as well as reviewing the functioning of the disciplinary process.

The Authority is also required to prepare a performance report every six months and an annual report to inform the public of its activities and provide recommendations for the improvement of the functioning of the National Police Service

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