A single case of police misconduct can damage public confidence in the entire service and make it harder for officers to work with communities, IPOA chairperson Duncan Ojwang has said.
Ojwang said the conduct of individual officers can affect how the public views even those who carry out their duties professionally, creating a wider problem for policing and community cooperation.
“One bad police really undermine policing for everyone, even for the good police,” he said.
Speaking on Radio Generation on Tuesday, Ojwang said strained relations between police and the public can make people less willing to work with officers, including sharing information that could assist investigations.
“Their relationship with public is injured or hurt whenever there is a wrong police,” he said, adding that “their work become easier if you trust them”.
Ojwang said rebuilding confidence requires greater accountability as well as efforts to help Kenyans understand how police work and the rules that guide officers in carrying out their duties.
He said IPOA was working to “demystify policing” by giving members of the public a better understanding of police procedures and the circumstances under which officers are legally allowed to use force.
“I might not know how to handle a gun.I'm a civilian, and I might not know how. But these are the code, and once we understand the code, then everyone should be able to understand that here the police was right, here the police was wrong,” he said.
The IPOA chairperson said civilian oversight was introduced partly because of concerns among members of the public over the police investigating allegations against their own colleagues.
According to Ojwang, police officers also supported the creation of an independent oversight system following the 2007-08 post-election violence.
He said officers recognised the need for an independent body because “people don't trust when we investigate ourselves for obvious reasons”.
Ojwang, however, said an investigation should not always be seen as an effort to find fault with an officer or punish them.
He said investigations can also clear officers of wrongdoing and confirm that they acted within the law.
“When we say investigation, we should not just talk on the negative,” he said. “It can also be the very good news that I will have investigated, and they will find that I acted professionally.”
IPOA is also using community meetings, commonly known as barazas, to explain its role and help Kenyans understand their rights when dealing with the police.
Ojwang said the meetings also provide an opportunity for communities to learn how to report alleged police misconduct and take part in efforts to improve accountability.
“If the community are aware of their rights, and the community are involved, then it makes our work easier,” he said.
He acknowledged that police officers often work in difficult conditions, including dealing with criminals, but said those challenges do not remove the need for officers to remain accountable for their actions.
Ojwang's remarks come as questions over police conduct, accountability and the role of civilian oversight remain part of the wider discussion on relations between the police and the public.