NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 19 – The Kenya Police Service is turning to technology and strategic communication to strengthen modern policing, improve public engagement and ensure the public gets timely and accurate information about police work.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Kenya Police Service, Eliud K. Lagat, commissioned the Service’s new Strategic Communications Office, describing communication as an increasingly important part of effective policing in a rapidly changing digital environment.
Speaking during the commissioning, the DIG said police officers were trained to remain resilient and committed, but stressed that modern policing also requires the ability to communicate effectively.
“I officially commission the Strategic Communications Office of the Kenya Police Service. Its core responsibility is to move us from communication that is largely reactive to communication that is proactive, strategic, deliberate, continuous and digital-first for the benefit of the communities we serve.” Lagat emphasised on Tuesday, indicating that Communication is now a critical pillar of modern policing.
The new office is expected to move the Service away from mainly reacting to information and towards a more planned, continuous and digital approach to communication. Lagat said the move was necessary as Kenya’s security environment becomes more technology-driven, with criminals increasingly using digital platforms while members of the public consume information through phones and social media. The Deputy Inspector General of Police further stressed that the move was necessary as Kenya’s security environment becomes more technology-driven.
“We want to own our narrative. We want to tell our story because we are serving millions of digital natives across Kenya,” he explained.
He challenged the Service to highlight the often unreported and underreported work of officers across the country.
“There are thousands of stories of courage, sacrifice, innovation and service that never make the headlines. If we do not tell our stories, someone else will tell them. They may tell only part of the story. The KPS must create platforms through which our officers can tell their stories, share their experiences and help the public understand the work we do.”
Lagat highlighted, noting that the Strategic Communications Office will support faster public information, digital engagement and stronger links between police officers and communities.
Its mandate, according to him, was to make Kenya Police Service communication “proactive, strategic, deliberate, continuous and digital-first.”
