The National Police Service (NPS) is concerned by the increased number of its officers who are highly active on social media, creating content while donning service uniforms and disseminating crucial information to civilians.
NPS has on Monday morning, published its Standing Orders contained in the National Police Service Act (No. 11a of 2011), putting on notice notorious police officers considered not conforming to the service’s policies while creating social media content, addressing the media, recording live sessions and videos of unauthorized places, e.g., police stations, and sharing with civilians or journalists details of operations and information about the service.
According to the Act, the following apply:
a) Police officers are not allowed to make any official comment on social media about any incident, police policy, or procedure without prior authorization. This must be done by an appointed spokesperson;
b) Members of the service shall not identify themselves either directly or indirectly on social media platforms as employees of the National Police Service;
c) Officers must avoid posting material that may bring the service into disrepute or otherwise embarrass the government;
d) Officers must avoid comments on matters that are likely to be currently under investigation;
e) Under no circumstances should an officer make offensive comments about the National Police Service;
f) No officer should make public unauthorized or confidential materials, including training videos, police notes, and suspect’s interview videos;
The notice also comes amid a brewing scandal at the National Police Service where officers who participated in the 61st Madaraka Day called out their bosses on multiple platforms for ill-treatment, including unpaid allowances, poor feeding, and inappropriate ceremonial uniforms during the fete.
