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The National Police Joint Service Board has approved revised badges of rank and insignia for all ranks in the Service.
In the Joint Service Board held March 29, 2017, the Board approved the change of the badges of rank for the Inspector General, Deputy Inspectors General, Senior Assistant Inspector General, Assistant Inspector General, Commissioner of Police and Senior Sergeant.
"From now henceforth, the Inspector General’s shoulder badges will now be crossed scimitar sword and swagger cane surrounded by a laurel wreath, surmounted by two lion badges. The rest of the insignia remain unchanged," said the Service.
Deputy Inspectors General will wear crossed scimitar sword and swagger cane surrounded by a laurel wreath, surmounted by a military pattern star and a lion badge on their shoulders.
Senior Assistant Inspectors General will put on crossed scimitar sword and a swagger cane surrounded by a laurel wreath surmounted by a lion badge. Other insignia for this rank also remain unaltered.
The Shoulder badges for the Assistant Inspector General will now be crossed scimitar sword and a swagger cane surrounded by a laurel wreath surmounted by two military pattern stars.
The rank of Commissioners of Police has now adopted a military pattern star instead of the five pointed St. John Ambulance star. In addition, the gorget patches for the Commissioner of Police have been changed to one vertical strip cord with a small service button 2cm from the point of patch.
Badges of rank and insignia for the ranks of Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), Superintendent of Police (SP), Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), Chief Inspector of Police (CI) and Inspector of Police (IP) have not been affected by the changes.
In a communication, the National Police Service indicated, for the rank of Senior Sergeant, one common badge of rank had been adopted to bring harmony and uniformity in the Service.
"From now on, Senior Sergeants in the Service will wear three bars worsted red chevrons with the Kenya Coat of Arms in national colours embroidered on a dark blue cloth above the chevrons. The badges of rank and insignia for Sergeants (SGT) and Corporals (CPL) remain unchanged."
In the Inspector General’s circular to NPS Headquarters staff, the two Services and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, dated April 5, 2017, the Board said the new badges of rank and insignia should be adopted with immediate effect.