Dr. Resila Onyango: Kenya’s First Female Police Officer to Attain a PhD

The National Police Service (NPS) is celebrating one of its officers Dr. Resila A. Onyango, who has become the first Kenyan policewoman to attain a Ph.D.

Dr. Resila, a Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), currently serves as the Deputy Director of Planning at the Office of the Inspector General of Police.

She is the first female police officer in the history of the National Police Service to earn a doctorate degree. 

Dr. Resila recently graduated with a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from the City University of New York’s (CUNY) John Jay College of Criminal Justice under the CUNY Graduate Center Doctorate Fellowship.

She also holds Masters of Philosophy in Criminal Justice from John Jay College of Criminal Justice and Masters of Science in Criminology from the University of Pennsylvania.

The decorated officer graduated from Moi University with her first degree in Education before joining the National Police Service in 2003.

Dr. Resila is an expert in Policing, Peace, Conflict and Security, a Military Observer trained at the Finnish Defense Forces International Centre in Finland, and a trained Sex Crimes Investigator by the International Law Enforcement Academy, Botswana.

She has taught Criminal Justice both at John Jay College of Criminal Justice and locally at the United States International University (USIU-Africa). 

Dr. Resila previously served at the Public Relations Office at Kenya Police Headquarters, Rift Valley Region, and at the National Police Senior Staff College, Loresho.

Until August 2021, she was a Criminal Intelligence Officer on contract at the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL). 

“Girls should not shy away from joining the National Police Service as the Service offers various opportunities for female officers." says Dr. Resila, an alumnus of Lwak Girls High School and Ogeya Primary School.