Policing as social control: police officer perspectives on the policing of queer people in Kenya

Police officer perspectives on the policing of marginalised, criminalised and stigmatised groups in Kenya has received limited scholarly attention. Based on interviews and focus group discussions with 33 police officers in Kenya's two largest cities, Nairobi and Mombasa, this paper presents the findings of an exploratory field study to examine the perspectives and attitudes of police officers in Kenya towards queer people. The paper, which traces the broad contours of police officers' views on queer people and LGBTQ+ issues. It not only validates the claims of police abuse made by queer people in Kenya but also presents an exemplar of policing as social control as argued by Choongh (Citation1998). The paper highlights that policing is not just shaped by the law but also by the personal beliefs of police officers, especially those anchored in culture and religion. The study highlights the need for nuanced analysis of police officers' views in the design of police reform efforts.