Criminal Intelligence Management System and Security in Kenya: A Case Study of Kakamega County

Abstract

Law enforcement agents require Criminal Intelligence about their immediate and wider environment in which they operate in order to guarantee their safety and that of others, they need to keep track of internal and external threats. It is a combination of these internal and external threats that develop the concept of security. The purpose of this study was to look at Criminal Intelligence management system and security in kakamega County Kenya. The objective of the study was to; assess the extent to which integrated criminal intelligence management system is used in Kenya. The study targeted Kakamega  County from where  the findings were realized. The study employed a descriptive survey design targeting various levels of Intelligence Management in Kakamega County. The levels comprised of County, Sub county and Ward security and intelligence committees. The Total target Population of the group was 79 criminal Intelligence officers. However, for practical reasons the research sampled 55 officers working within the criminal Intelligence department in the couty.  An interview schedule and individual questionnares were used to collect data. Prior to engaging in actual data collection a pilot study was carried out in Kiambu County which had population with similar characteristics with Kakamega county to test validity and reliability of the instruments. Data collected was analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The data was then described in statistics from where it was captured in frequencies and percentages arrived at through excel computer package. The results were then presented using tables and charts from where the discussions were based and findings drawn. The finding from the study revealed that criminal intelligence management system did not have proper control mechanisms to gather actionable information to be able to fully curb crime and that the system was riddled with some challenges which included lack of trust among the various agencies, bureaucracies in disseminating the intelligence to the operations teams among others. The main recommendation of the study is that there is urgent need to put in place criminal intelligence plan detailing information gathering, collation and sharing, proper vetting and joint training of all the officers handling intelligence be undertaken so as to achieve synergy at various levels and have enabling legislations to address issues of autocracy.

Keywords: Criminal Intelligence,  Security

DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/140-04

Publication date:March 31^st 2024