Kenya Police during a pass out parade (Photo / Mygov.go.ke)
The National Police Service has embarked on setting up trauma centers across the country to offer counselling for police officers who have trauma related cases. NPS Head of Medical Service Dr. John Kibosia says that introduction of counselling services would go a long way to help in the rising cases of police officers facing psychological torture.Dr Kibosia gives an example of Salgaa accidents that leave police officers traumatised due to lack of counseling.“If the trauma is not contained in a proper way, the subjects tend to clog their minds by engaging in inhumane acts like suicide, drug abuse and family struggles,” said Dr Kibosia.He adds that the move is meant to encourage a good working condition and a conducive environment.His colleague in the wellness department Dr. David Kaberia, said that police officers handling accidents lacked proper training on handling bodies and would end up with accumulated trauma."If not trained and debriefed regularly, the officers will end up having accumulated trauma which might later turn tragic in their lives, family or even at the work place,” Dr. Kaberia said.The two were speaking in a police workshop in Nakuru.Dr Kibosia says Nakuru county has the leading number of trauma cases.