Administration Police
 | This article may be unbalanced toward certain viewpoints. (January 2021) |
 | This article may require copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone, or spelling. (January 2021) |
| Administration Police Service [1] Polisi wa Utawala Kenya | |
|---|---|
The Administration Police patch. | |
 Flag of Administration Police | |
| Common name | Administration Police Karau/Polisi |
| Motto | Uaminifu na Haki (Template:Lang-en) |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1958 |
| Employees | 30000 |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | KEN |
 | |
| Map of Administration Police Service [1]'s jurisdiction | |
| Size | 581,309 square kilometres (224,445 sq mi) |
| Population | 47,564,000 Kenya |
| Governing body | Kenya |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | Jogoo House, Taifa Rd, Nairobi |
| Agency executive | |
| Parent agency | National Police Service |
| Units |
|
| Directorates |
|
| Website | |
| www | |
The Administration Police (APS) is a paramilitary security organization that is a branch of the Republic of Kenya's National Police Service.
Overview
APS, formed in 1958, is headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, and is overseen by the Deputy Inspector of Police (DIG), Mr. Noor Y. Gabow [3]
The National Police Service, comprising the Kenya Police, Administration Police, and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, came into being in 2011, according to Article 243 of the constitution.
History
 | This section needs additional citations for verification. (January 2021) |
 | This section contains promotional content. (January 2021) |
The origins of the Administration Police (AP) can be traced back to 1902, with the enactment of the village headman ordinance.[4] The objective of this ordinance was to bring the then native barter economy into harmony with the British colony's emerging currency economy, which entailed taxation, regulated agriculture, livestock farming, and other social matters. The village headman had in the meantime to rely on village ‘warriors’ or ‘tough’ youths to enforce the often unpopular policies of colonial Government as well as arbitrate native matters. [5]These local warriors took up the role of native policing. In 1929, the Tribal Police Ordinance No.10 was enacted. The objective of this ordinance was to provide command, administration powers, training, and armament for the native police, which was renamed Tribal Police (TP).
During this early period through the 1950s, the Tribal Police (TP) underwent improvements in many aspects, including uniforms, items borrowed from Kings African Rifles and Kenya Police, ‘Kangas’ and ‘Dub’cas', armament, strength, and a TP reserve component. Training became mandatory and focused on basic recruits’ instruction, promotional courses, and prosecution courses to service native courts.
In 1958, the current Administration Police Act commenced.[6] This Act strengthened the Force's policing and widened its mandate in national security, marking a shift from the Tribal Police Ordinance. The new changes were reflected in the force organization, with ranks being formed from Constable to Sergeant Major. Through the early period of independence, to the late 1970s, the Force transformed in its practices from a localized Police service to one where personnel served in all Administration support elements, which include; Communication, Quartermaster, Logistics, Finance, Information Communication Technology, Medical, Operations Planning, and Research; and enhanced operational capabilities beyond ordinary law enforcement among others. The training curriculum has been reviewed to reflect internationally accepted standards on democratic policing with respect for human rights and accountability. The Force is building on its more than 100-year history of providing community-focused safety and security while pursuing transformation to meet challenges posed by globalization.
Centralized training was also relocated from Ruringu, Nyeri, to Administration Police Training School Embakasi in 1967.[7] This period also saw the Force cut its place in post-independence national security assignments in counter-operations against Shifta insurgents in Northern Kenya in the 1960s, which they performed with distinction.
In 1978, the officer rank of inspectorate was introduced followed by Gazetted Officers (GOs) in 1981. As the Force marks a century in its development, it has achieved remarkable milestones such as the formation of specialized units, modern equipment, efficient communication system, and recruitment of female officers. It also re-established itself as a unique provider of community-focused policing services that can service the law enforcement needs of other Government Departments.
Since 2000, the Force has embarked on a transformation towards a world-class paramilitary police force that can meet the demands of 21st-century society. This has seen the reorganization of the HQ with the establishment of support elements, which include; Communication, Quartermaster, Logistics, Finance, Information Communication Technology, Medical, Operations Planning and Research; and enhanced operational capabilities beyond ordinary law enforcement, among others. The training curriculum has been reviewed to reflect internationally accepted standards on democratic policing with respect for human rights and accountability.
The Force is building on its more than 100-year history of providing community-focused safety and security while pursuing transformation to meet challenges posed by globalization.
The Administration Police fully embrace the Police Reform agenda as the next step in professionalizing its policing service. Reform points the way towards the local delivery of Policing services in partnership with the public. The Administration Police must build on the 100 years history of service. It does not assume that the Force has got everything right. However, it instead accepts that it can and must do better if it wants to remain the number one provider of community safety. This Plan identifies how it intends to build on its history and initiatives such as this. The Administration Police is fully aware of its abilities and equally of its shortcomings. It intends to build on its solid foundations by creating an even more locally based style of Policing, making our borders more secure and being much more effective in crime reduction and prevention.
Structure/Units
The AP is divided into Headquarters, Training Colleges, and formed units, carrying out police duties and adequately equipped to tackle any event, law and order, and national emergencies.
Following reforms of 2018, APS officers no longer perform general duties.[8] It is now the preserve of its counterpart Kenya Police Service.
Rapid Deployment Unit (RDU)
|
It is the equivalent of the General Service Unit of the Kenya Police Service. It is also known as Radi (lightning) in Swahili. In the year 2000, with Senior Assistant Commissioner of Administration Police Mr. Davis Mawinyi as the first Commanding Officer, Mr. Elijah Osodo, AIG, succeeded.
Throughout the 1960s Administration Police (AP) was rapidly deployed regularly to fight the shifta menace in North Eastern Kenya. It was deployed to curb rampant poaching in the 1970s and 80s. It was also deployed to combat lawlessness in the northern Rift Valley region in the 1980s.
The AP operational deployment was initially composed of officers seconded from other divisions, and APTC (Administration Police Training College) staff and coursemen to counter specific hostilities.
Ad hoc units were formed within the AP to address specific localized situations. These include the Anti-Shifta Unit, formed in 1980 based at Garissa District, the Anti-Bandit Unit, formed in 1986 based in Tana River and Lamu districts; and the Rapid Anti-Bandit Unit, formed in 1997 based at AP Training College.
Due to these operations' short-term nature, they were often unsustainable and had limited success; thus, they established the Rapid Deployment Unit in 2000. The unit receives tactical training as well as regular training and refresher courses.
The unit receives support through additional tactical training by the U.S. Marines. As a result, it has a pool of specially trained and prepared personnel on standby, who possess ready supplies, transport, and support material for deployment.
RDU operates independently of Administration Police in its deployment so as not to affect normal operations. Now a Commandant heads it and may deploy personnel to Kenya to respond to any emergency or threat to law and order for a particular period.
Border Police Unit (BPU)
|
BPU was formed on 1 July 2008 as Rural Border Patrol Unit with its first base at A.P Senior Staff College, Emali. The idea of a Border Patrol Unit was recommended by the then Senior Deputy Commandant (I) of AP Mr. Alhaji Omar Shurie, (SAIG, Egypt 2), a senior fieldcraft and tactics/jungle warfare instructor. Mr. Otieno, AIG, who once served as Deputy C.O. at Rapid Deployment Unit became the first C.O.
It was known as the Border Patrol Unit, but due to limited facilities and equipment, it was not operationalized.
In September 2018, President Uhuru Kenyatta announced big plans to reorganize the National Police Service. This plan included, among others, the strengthing and renaming of RBPU to Border Police Unit.
The task of the BPU is to detect and prevent cross border crimes through border patrol and conduct terrorist interdiction operations.
BPU has its headquarters at Kanyonyo in Kitui County. It is now headed by a Commandant (Cmdt). Its Commandant is Mr. Abdulahi Aden (A.I.G).
Formations in the field known as Companies are each headed by an Officer of Superintendent (SP) rank. There are at least 20 such companies in the unit. Each Company has three platoons each headed by a Platoon Commander of Inspector's (IP) rank. Each platoon is further divided into sections of at least Ten personnel.
The unit has a training institution called the Border Patrol School, also based at Kanyonyo with Mr. Joshua Wambua, SSP, (a decorated jungle warfare/ ballistics/ forensics instructor) as the C.O. Its instructors are trained both locally and internationally and striving to be a leading border patrol and border operations training school in Eastern and Central Africa.
The unit has two specialized teams, the "Marine unit"- BORSOPTS – Border and Sea Operations Team and a Special Weapons and Tactics Team. These teams have had successful field operations within the country, including the Yumbis attack of 2015.
In terms of equipment and logistics, the unit has moved miles away and is now ahead of its mother unit the, Rapid Deployment Unit. Recentlyntly the National Police Service acquired Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) from China's Defense Corp Norinco. Which is an extreme milestone in the modernization of the Police Services.
Anti-Stock Theft Unit
The Anti-Stock Theft Unit established in 1965 as part of the Kenya Police.[9] Anti-Stock Theft Unit became a unit of the Administration Police in 2018. The Commandant of the Gilgil based Anti-stock Theft Unit now reports directly to the Deputy Inspector General APS.
Currently, the unit has 13 field companies. Each company has three platoons, one mounted company, and a headquarters company. Field companies are deployed mainly in the pastoral areas of Rift Valley and Eastern Regions. The Mounted Company breeds and trains horses and camels for police work. The number of Anti-stock Theft Unit personnel stands at 2,500 and is increasing to reach 5,000.
Security of Government Buildings Unit
|
The Security of Government Buildings Unit (SGB) was established in 1977, to provide security for Government Buildings within Nairobi Area. The unit was then known as Government Buildings Security (GBS). It was a subunit of AP headed by an Officer Commanding (OC). A year later, it was renamed to SGB (Security of Government Buildings Unit).
In 1992, the unit was further strengthened and was now headed by a Commanding Officer (CO), and by 2005, the commander had been upgraded to Commandant.
Services provided
- Bodyguards – Provision of close protection, as directed by the Government.
- Residence security – 24-hour maximum security to those accorded the service.
- Protection of Vital Government Installations/Institutions.
- Back-up armed sentries to designated Government Buildings and Installations.
- Cash in Transit for Government Institutions/Private Firms.
Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU)
Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit was formed in 2015 following increased threats to critical infrastructure such as power lines, fiber optic lines, roads, and data centers.[10] The unit is the largest one in the Administration Police with offices throughout the country. This unit is headquartered in Athi River.
Services provided
|
- Protection of government buildings and data centers (Courts, Huduma Centers, government offices, KRA's one-stop border points, etc.);
- Protection of electricity sector including power lines, substations, off-grid generation stations, repeater stations, data centers, and fiber optics;
- Protection of energy sector including oilfields, oil pipelines, spur lines, and flowline control rooms, refined petroleum storage tanks, pump stations, auxiliary equipment, cathodic and radio networks ;
- Protection of ICT sector installation networks (Fiber optic cables, submarine cables, telecommunication lines, and posts );
- Protection of water points (storage water tanks);
- Protection of technical and learning institutions;
- Protection of banks;
- Protection of cash in transit;
- Surveillance and protection against threats of use of force, terror, espionage, sabotage, cybercrime, vandalism, and other crimes targeted on information transmitted via critical infrastructure assets.
Ranks/Insignia
|
Administration Police wear badges of rank (Corporal, Senior Sergeant on their sleeves, and Inspector, Inspector General on the shoulders of their uniform to denote their rank). After the approval of the National Police Service Commission in 2016, the uniforms committee unveiled new insignia for the revised rank structure. The order of the ranks of Administration Police and corresponding insignia is as follows:
| Rank | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Constable |  |
| Corporal |  |
| Sergeant |  |
| Senior Sergeant |  |
| Inspector |  |
| Chief Inspector |  |
| Assistant Superintendent |  |
| Superintendent |  |
| Senior Superintendent |  |
| Commissioner |  |
| Assistant Inspector General |  |
| Senior Assistant Inspector General |  |
| Deputy Inspector General |  |
| Inspector General ^** |  |
^** Will only apply when Deputy Inspector General is acting in the rank.
See also
References
- ^ "Administration Police Service".
- ^ http://www.nationalpolice.go.ke/
- ^ "Deputy Inspector General - APS". nationalpolice.go.ke. Retrieved 2021-01-29.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "AP - HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION POLICE". web.archive.org. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
- ^ Kenya National Assembly Official Record (Hansard). 1937.
- ^ "AP - HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION POLICE". web.archive.org. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
- ^ "AP - HISTORY OF THE ADMINISTRATION POLICE". web.archive.org. 2007-01-25. Retrieved 2020-12-21.
- ^ "Kenya in major police reforms". The East African. Retrieved 2020-12-22.
- ^ "Anti-Stock Theft Unit". www.kenyapolice.go.ke. Kenya Police.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Wafula, Paul. "Kenya to set up the unit to protect critical infrastructure". The Standard. Retrieved 2020-09-21.