Members of the Kenya Counselling and Psychological Association (KCPA) have called for the fight against drug abuse among police officers.
Speaking when they paid a visit to the family that lost two brothers in Kianjokoma after the two brothers were arrested by police and their bodies found in Embu level 5 hospital mortuary, they said there is increased use of drugs among police officers.
KCPA said drug abuse among police officers is responsible for their abnormal behaviour while at work triggering the use of excessive force.
“The police officers take bhang, chew miraa and this makes them not to judge critically, creatively and come up with a solution, and there is need to fight use of stimulants by police,” Dr Jane Wanjiru Muigai said.
She urged the government to train more counsellors and offer substance abuse assessments to those who have been affected.
Muigai also said there is need to put the issue of psychology in practice training where police officers are trained so as to keep police officers mentally fit.
She said many police officers take drugs to avert stress and noted that other problems within police officers are borne emotionally while others are behavioural disorders that they have grown up with.
James Mutitu who is the National Secretary of KCPA said that through their training and official position, they have already initiated counselling of police officers to address mental health concerns.
He said there is need for the implementation of those policies so that police officers can be assisted to fight the challenges they have.
Mutitu also urged police bosses to liaise with counsellors to assist police where necessary. They called the community to work with police harmoniously on issues that have been brought about by Covid- 19 without quarrels and in a sober way.
The chancellor further called on the government through the National Police Service to ensure police officers in certain calamities do not respond with live bullets.
“Live bullets are not good to community and we have heard of eventualities brought about by use of live bullets,” Mutitu noted.
Mutitu said there is need for police bosses in different stations to engage professional counsellors so that they can talk to men in uniform as a way of subsidizing what the government is doing in police reforms.
Father Joseph Njiru KCPA chairman Embu chapter said there is need to think of the life of policemen as an individual.
He pointed out that their working conditions should be analysed.
“We need to look if police have enough time to relax, time for family and the environment they are working in, the way we are witnessing police brutality, suicidal cases in Kenya and people killing each other is worrying. I think the counselling should come in for the officers,” Njiru said.
Some Senior police officers whom we contacted for comment on the issue of drug abuse by police also declined to comment on that matter while others failed to pick our calls.
Burial preparations for the two are underway at their rural home in Kianjokoma but the date is yet to be set.
