There seems to be a surge in the number of Kenyans who believe that violence begets violence and violence must be countered by violence. Notable among them are our Minister of State for Internal Security John Michuki, the Commissioner of Police Major General Mohamed Ali and his legions.

On Tuesday, the 20^th of February, 2007 I chanced to be at a banking hall at around 1.00 p.m when the TV. Screen flashed with pictures of the slain Simon Matheri Ikere. The glee and feeling of euphoria that greeted the air was amazing. Mind you, banking halls normally exude a mood of sobriety and austerity, but that Tuesday was an exception. Many Kenyans felt vindicated. For many it was evidence that our police are working. 

Too sad, too sad, I might say to the many that identified with such feelings! The sad reality is that society is churning thousands of Matheris, as each second glides by. The police action on that fateful day amounted to a cosmetic swipe at a problem that extends beyond, two, three, four... gun-toting robbers. I wonder what our strategists (if any) at Vigilante House are conjuring to address the startling and spiraling rate of crime. 

Crime is not a new phenomenon but one that has been existent ever since man discovered there is a ‘you' apart from ‘me'. Way back then society attempted to control crime using the very same brute force! Now Kenyans seek to return to to these archaic medieval practices. Reminds us of what the Akamba used to do when dealing with a crime suspect - to roll him/her down the hill inside a bee hive. 

As time went by, the Akamba and other communities had to embrace new methods of controlling and containing crime. While their methods of containing may have had an effect, they had to adopt change and to embrace more effective methods. The shift was from punitive to reformative and or rehabilitative practices. Similarly,we today need to embrace change, ‘brain over brawn' and adopt new effective methods of containing and controlling violent crime.  In that I regard we must acknowledge and appreciate the openness, use of I.T. and publicized mug shots that the police force has recently embraced, but that is not enough. 

More needs to be done. For example let us pick a management paradigm: crime is a cost that needs to be managed, ‘strategically managed' if society is to exist profitably. We need plans that address the root cause of crime and attempt to manage it at source. Gun-wielding robbers will not be effectively controlled by gun-bearing police. We are heightening the stakes and thereby making violent crime more lethal. The perpetrators are becoming more and more daring and less sensitive to societal antipathy.  A scientific study and solution-minded initiative should be undertaken by the police force.

 Further, our police force seems to be a purely reactive force. Long past are the days when police officers would collect blood samples, lift up finger prints, collect each and every manner of evidence or effectively cordon off a crime scene so as to preserve evidence. Michuki and his boys have long let that practice go! They gave up on it. Why - because it is better to let a crime occur, listen to rumours or any other account we view as credible, run after the culprit, and shoot him/her dead! That way no one knows the ultimate truth, what really occurred. The real suspects on the other hand keep quiet. The public feel vindicated - at least someone (innocent or not) paid up for the crime. 

That simply needs to stop, and urgently! Whether in the name of respect for human rights, the rule of law etc. etc... it simply has to stop. 

Going back to the management of crime paradigm: a reactive force is the least cost effective in the long run. It means that the perpetrators of social ills are always a step ahead with the police trying to catch up with them. No wonder with the famous phrase "we shall catch up with them; we know who they are and where they are". A modern scientific method of containing crime must be applied. The Kenya Police will definitively benefit from networking with their peers in such cities as Johannesburg in South Africa and New York on what methods they have found effective in:- 

• Preventing crime,
• Investigating crime
• Arresting criminals at the least expense (isn't it shameful to send over 100 trained policemen to arrest one untrained gunman)
• Policing crime 

As with any enterprise, the police force should become a learning organization, continuously retrain its staff to match up with modern crime, and appraise the performance of each officer. I would suggest that the senior police officers be subjected to a 360 degrees performance appraisals and/or review whereby their juniors, peers and colleagues evaluate their performance. Only by adopting modern crime management tactics will the police cope with the situation and realize their proclaimed vision: "to be a modern world class police outfit". 

The investigative capacity of the police force ought to be enhanced. The much hyped "intelligence-led policing" as advocated by the Police Commissioner in the statement posted at the Kenya Police website ought to truly reflect and adopt  a scientific approach to managing crime; as opposed to brute force, due to the obvious disadvantages of the latter. 

The Kenya Police should adopt such a strategy rather than burying evidence at the whip of a gun. Alas! The day should come when brute force of biblical Goliath meets its march - the proverbial pebble of David!