Experts question training of APs

• Officers do not surrender arms to an armoury after daily duty

The training and supervision of Administration Police officers is being questioned following recent shootings involving officers from the force.

Last week, a total of 10 people were killed by APs under unclear circumstances.

Seven taxi drivers were shot dead in Nairobi, a soldier was shot by another AP officer in Kericho and two men responding to a neighbour’s distress call were killed in Gatundu.

Security experts blame the cases on the fact that APs do not ordinarily surrender their weapons to an armoury after duty daily.

“When an AP is off duty, he keeps his firearm in his house and can use it whenever he chooses,” said a security officer who requested anonymity.

However, AP spokesman Masood Munyi said the officers were well trained and have armouries for their guns.

“We have armouries where firearms are securely kept and only issued to individual officers after filling a register that makes them accountable for their firearms. When an officer commits an offence, action is taken against the individual and the whole force should not be condemned,” said Mr Munyi.

The Administration police was established through an Act in 1958. Section 14 of the Act stipulates how firearms can be issued and used and also limits the power to use firearms, as does Section 28 of the Kenya Police Act.

The law says an officer may use firearms against any person in lawful custody when that person is escaping or attempting to escape.

The arms can also be used against a person who rescues or attempts to rescue any other person from lawful custody; or any person who attempts to prevent a lawful arrest.

According to a security expert, APs are trained to keep peace, where they are in constant contact with the public.

“APs are a paramilitary unit trained to keep peace and unlike regular police officers, they have not been trained to maintain law and order, which includes detecting and preventing crime. They have no intelligence wing.

“They have been allowed to overstep their mandate and therefore expose themselves to situations they have not been trained to handle,” said security consultant Captain (rtd) Simiyu Werunga.

Section 16 of the AP Act gives very lenient punishment for an officer who breaches the law.