Governance Practices and Service Delivery of the Kenya Police Service in Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

The Kenya Police Service has invariably been depicted to fall far short of the expectations of the public: Lethargy and absence of work integrity; nonexistence of undertaking; self-justifying attitude to disputes; visionless allegiance to external influences, and unresponsiveness style in service delivery have been the whole mark of police operations. Police officers are answerable to the public for giving an effectual and active service, one that is progressively functioning in fighting law-breaking and which realizes value for public money. A fundamental measure of the achievement of Police establishments and their service delivery is the degree of public contentment with the quality of services rendered. For that reason, this research work endeavored to establish the influence of governance practices on service delivery in the Kenya Police Service in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The project specifically sought to examine the effect of communication structures, incentive management, stakeholder engagement and performance review on service delivery in the Kenya Police Service in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The research work was underpinned by governance theories including the servqual theory model, resource based-view theory, Herzberg’s two-factor theory, dynamic capability theory and the stakeholder theory. The target population was made of 105 police officers of senior ranks in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The sample size of 83 was arrived at by random selection of senior police officers in each of the 11 Sub County Police Commands, above the Inspectorate rank. Primary data was gathered through self-administered questionnaires. Before administering the actual questionnaires, the researcher undertook an experimental test aimed at ascertaining the validity and reliability of the research instruments. Information was analyzed using descriptive statistics using Mean and Standard Deviation. Qualitative information gathered from the open-ended portion of the survey was examined using content analysis and the results presented in prose form. The findings indicate that there is a significant relationship between communication structures and service delivery of the Kenya Police Service and performance review has a significant positive relationship with service delivery while stakeholder management has a significant positive relationship with service delivery of the Kenya Police Service. The conclusions reinforced the hypothetical basis of the resource based view theory that competitive advantage comes from the internal resources that are possessed by a firm. The study therefore concluded that governance practices have a direct and relevant effect on the performance of the Kenya Police Service officers in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The recommendations are; the Kenya Police Service or any other government agency for that matter that works towards better service delivery to the public, needs to seriously consider their communication structures, incentive management practices, stakeholder engagement initiatives and employee performance review of their human resource. In practice, the study recommends that structured communication, which has been identified as a playing the greatest role in improving service delivery should be a priority area for organisations. Equally, it is important for top and middle management in the Kenya Police Service and similar entities to have and demonstrate sufficient knowledge of establishment’s stakeholders and how to engage them constructively for mutual benefits, and also ample consideration and support of subordinate member of staff’s welfare. The top and middle management must further develop adequate strategies for merit-based promotions, transparency in transfers and deployment and attention to officers’ mental wellness.