Police Chief IGP Martin Okoth Ochola has issued strict guideline to all police personnel on arrests and professional handling of suspects by all police officers.

The guidelines are in conformity with Article 23 of the Constitution, section 2 of the Criminal Procedures Act, and Sections 23-24 of the Police Act, 1994.

The guidelines are:

1. All arresting officers will take notice of the two types of arrests in our routine operations: (a) arrest without warrant, (b) arrest with warrant.

2. The arresting officer must satisfy himself/herself that there is reasonable ground to affect the arrest.

3. A Police Officer effecting arrest must identify himself or herself using his/her warrant card.

4. The arresting officer must indicate and identify his/her unit

5. The arresting officer shall inform the person arrested the nature of the offence for which arrest is being affected.

6. Touch and restrain the person arrested.

7. Male suspects arrested must be put on handcuff.

8. Persons arrested must be escorted to the nearest gazetted Police station and should be transferred immediately to the station where the investigation or complaint was reported.

9. Police officer will not affect an arrest unless a formal complaint has been made. All arrest must be done with full authorization of unit supervisors/commanders.

10. All suspects arrested by the citizens or sister agencies are rearrested by a Police Officer to whom the suspect has been handed over and all the procedures of suspects’ management must be followed.

11. Arrests of all female suspects are handled by women Police Officers.

12. All suspects arrested must be treated humanely and given right of access to communicate with immediate family/lawyers and medical care where injury/injuries have been occasioned during arrests.