Five instances that justify police officers to use firearms
The new Inspector General of Police, Japhet Koome, has said that the police officers are well-trained and are familiar with the instances when they are supposed to use firearms.
In his first press address as the Police IG at the Supreme Court, where he was sworn in, Mr. Koome said that the police officers trained cannot use their firearms recklessly.
He went on to state during their training, the police officers are being taken through five instances when they can use the firearms, which he said is in the law.
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One instance that allows the police officer to use the firearm is when his/her life is in danger.
“When his life is in danger, or any other person’s life is in danger, a police officer is justified to use a firearm,” Mr. Koome said.
He also said that when police officers are protecting life or property, and there is any threat, they can use firearms to protect themselves.
Also, if they are allowed to use the firearm in life defense or defending another life because of imminent threat.
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He said that anybody who has been charged for committing a serious offense of felony, rape, or murder and is imprisoned for three years, if the charged individual attempts to escape, the police can use the firearm.
The fifth instance is when the police officer arrests someone charged with a felony and attempts to wrestle, the police can use the firearm.
The IG made the remarks as he sent a warning to the criminals who have been making the lives of Kenyans miserable in the streets of Nairobi.
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Also, such cases of insecurity have been rampant in the Nairobi CBD and in estates, where criminals armed with knives are mugging them, even in broad daylight.
Immediately after Mr. Koome was sworn in, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja called him and they agreed to partner to weed out gangs in the capital city.
The IG said that criminals would not be a nuisance again to Kenyans under his leadership, sending a warning also to cattle rustlers.
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