Why Some Traffic Personnel are Being Ordered Back to General Duties

Police headquarters has ordered the redeployment of some traffic personnel to general duties. 

This is after a new cohort was trained and graduated on traffic management issues.

This means only trained traffic personnel will be allowed to carry out the duties following the directive.

Deputy Inspector General of Kenya Police Douglas Kanja on Wednesday December 19 ordered that only trained traffic personnel be deployed to manage traffic issues.

He said there will be no more attachment of police officers to traffic duties with no prior training on the issue.

“You are directed to deploy back to general duties all those officers who had been attached to traffic duties,” he said in a memo to all regional commanders.

General duties officers have been supplementing those in traffic operations in various parts of the country.

This was due to a shortage of trained traffic personnel in the department.

Traffic personnel are usually trained on management of traffic issues before they are deployed to the department.

This is seen as part of efforts to address graft issues affecting the department.

A taskforce on police reforms has recommended the restructuring of the current Traffic Police Unit into a new Traffic Management Unit that is well trained, leaner in numbers, and mainly reliant on technology to control and manage traffic flow in the country.

“The taskforce envisages the use of technology in the detection of traffic infractions, and the attendant fines becoming cashless by use of technology.”

“While that is being done, the taskforce recommends appropriate amendment of Section 65 of the NPS Act within six months and abolition of police roadblocks and their replacement with mobile patrol units,” the team says.

As part of efforts to address the graft menace, police officers carrying out traffic duties were ordered not to carry firearms to their workstations.

In an internal memo dated November 30, Kanja’s deputy Miriam Muli said that effective November 30, officers actively discharging traffic duties will no longer carry firearms.

She cited misuse of firearms by the traffic officers.

Kanja directed commanders to ensure the directive is adhered to.

“It has been noted with great concern that officers actively engaged on Traffic duties are armed (carrying firearms). This has resulted in misuse of the fire arms by the officers.”

“From today, 30th November 2023, no officer actively on Traffic duties will carry a firearm. Commanders ensure that this directive is complied with promptly. Confirm copied and compliance,” reads the memo.