Kaptembwo police station was once a dilapidated police station sitting on a two-acre piece of land. The station had no perimeter wall and officers were working under a tree – a risky arrangement to both police officers and community members seeking services at the station.

REINVENT and our downstream partner Midrift Human Rights Network (Midrift-Hurinet) worked together to sensitise the community on the importance of collaborating with the police and supported the creation of a community policing committee (CPC). The CPC, working together with NPS, was able to efficiently funnel funds from the National Government Development Fund for Nakuru West Constituency into turning Kaptembwo Police Station into one of the most modern stations in Kenya. This improvement didn’t only include infrastructure, but also community-police relations, skills training, equipment, and manpower.

 

REINVENT further trained selected police officers based at the gender desk and child protection unit on necessary skills and knowledge to handle SGBV cases reported at the station as well as providing a conducive environment. This has greatly improved service delivery while also ensuring confidentiality, respect, and safety during the reporting of cases , as survivors feel more protected in sharing details of their attackers. Thanks to a vibrant CPC, which has helped women feel safer in their communities,  reporting of cases has increased, with rape and defilement cases reported immediately and perpetrators arrested.