Discussion Paper No. 177 of 2015 on Towards a Coordinated Security Approach between Private Security Firms and the Police Service in Kenya

Abstract

Insecurity in Kenya has increased due to rising crime incidents and terror attacks. In response, the government has centred on, amongst other measures, additional police recruitment in an effort to increase the number of police officers. There is need to tap into the capacity of private security in order to ensure security for all. As this study shows, informal partnerships exist between the Kenya Police and private security firms within their operations. However, these partnerships are not based on any official accord, but are simply ‘gentlemanagreements’ on a need basis. Through an analysis of the security functions of both the Kenya Police and private security firms and their amorphous interactions in their duties, this study shows that both institutions can benefit from an official coordinated security approach. Using the Nodal Governance approach, this study explores the strengths of the two institutions and proposes the areas that would necessitate inclusion in the coordination framework on security. These include intelligence information sharing, technology and resources.