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The Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police (AP) have been merged into General Duty Police under the command of the Inspector General of Police, President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced.
Kenyatta, who spoke during the launch of a policy framework and strategy for reorganizing the National Police Service, said the move aims at eliminating waste and duplication of duties.
The President said the 39,680 Kenya Police Service and 24,572 Administration Police will fuse into a single force of 64,252 officers to provide better security to Kenyans.
The new General Duty Police officers will now be symbolized by a joint pass-out parade and a new uniform. President Kenyatta also announced a new command structure in the National Police Service.
The Inspector General of Police will head the newly formed General Duty Police with the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and two Deputy Inspector Generals coming right under.
Deputy IG (Kenya Police Service) will be in charge of public safety and security while the Deputy IG (Administration Police) will oversee protection and border security as well as cattle rustling and banditry. The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) will head criminal investigations.
The Rural Border Patrol Unit will change to Border Police Unit and its capacity doubled to 6,000 officers under the command of Deputy IG (AP) to combat transnational threats.
The Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) will be integrated and strengthened from 4,773 officers to 8,280 officers under the command of Deputy IG (AP).
The Kenya Police Anti-Stock Theft Unit and the Administration Police Stock Theft Preventive Unit will be merged under the command of Deputy IG (AP).
All Police Wards, Posts and Outposts previously under the Administration Police will now operate under the General Duty Police.