Vet all officers, says candidate

• Police commission job applicant says reforms should be guided by the Justice Ransley committee blueprint

Senior police officers who refuse to be vetted must be forced to leave the force, a panel interviewing candidates for police commission jobs was told.

Mr Robert Shaw, who is seeking a position in the National Police Service Commission, said those who failed the vetting test should also be sacked.

Mr Shaw told the interview panel that officers who survive the axe must undergo fresh training if police reforms were to be achieved.

“It is going to be difficult. Several posts (ranks) will be taken out. It will result in a number of people going to new ranks or opting out and it is a difficult situation which needs to be addressed,” he said.

He said the reforms should be guided by a blueprint drawn by the Justice Ransley committee in 2009.

Although the report had recommended that assistant commissioners and officers above them be vetted, those expected to undergo scrutiny are from the rank of senior superintendent all the way to the top.

The Public Service Commission had started vetting the officers last year but the exercise was stopped mid-way to pave the way for the formation of the new agency.

There are nearly 1,200 police officers in the senior ranks across the regular and Administration Police units.

Mr Shaw, an economist, added that if selected he would ensure that the reform process was “professional, strict and fair.”

Administrative secretary at the Prime Minister’s office Caroli Omondi had asked the applicant to explain how the new commission would ensure only eligible officers were appointed to top positions.

The interviewing panel wanted to know Mr Shaw’s association with the United States embassy in Nairobi over Charterhouse Bank scandal, which was captured by the whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks.

“Over the years obviously one interacts with bodies including diplomatic ones. At that time there were two people whose lives were in danger. And I asked (the embassy) if they could be provided security,” he said.