In a troubling incident, a police officer from Rabai, Kilifi County, vanished with his rifle during his shift, prompting an intense search that culminated in his arrest hours later.
The officer, on night duty at the Rabai Kenya power station, failed to return his G3 rifle and 20 bullets to the armoury.
Police reports indicate the officer claimed he had stashed the weapon under containers at work before rushing to an emergency meeting in his Meru rural home.
Despite an initial search, authorities couldn’t locate the weapon. They later traced and apprehended the officer at the Mariakani weighbridge while he was traveling in a public service vehicle. Upon returning to the site, they recovered the hidden rifle.
Currently in custody, the officer faces pending internal disciplinary action. Insiders attribute this incident to trauma, a growing concern among police officers.
Officials note that officers often bear the brunt of community problems, tasked with maintaining order in challenging situations while risking their lives.
Recent years have seen a surge in service-related deaths linked to trauma. Dozens of officers have died by suicide or killed others, a trend experts attribute to work-related stress.
To address this issue, police authorities have introduced counseling services. The National Police Service Commission has also established a dedicated unit to support officers facing demanding situations.
This new counseling unit will assess, design, and spearhead outreach programs to prevent mental health and substance abuse issues among officers.
Despite these efforts, police still record at least three suicide cases monthly involving their personnel.