Administration Police

The Administration Police traces its origins to 1902, with the enactment of the Village Headman Ordinance, which was intended to bring the native barter economy into harmony with the British colony's emerging currency economy. The ordinance raised taxes and regulated agriculture, livestock farming, and other social matters. The village headman at the time had to rely on village 'warriors' or 'tough' youths to enforce the colonial government's policies and to arbitrate native matters, due to the unpopularity of the policies. These local warriors took on the role of native policing. In 1929, Tribal Police Ordinance No. 10 was enacted. The objective of this ordinance was to provide command, administrative powers, training, and armament to the native police, which was renamed the Tribal Police (TP).

In this early period, through the 1950s, the Tribal Police underwent many improvements, including adopting uniforms—borrowed from the Kings African Rifles and the Kenya Police, "Kangas" and "Dub'cas"—increasing armament and manpower, and adding a reserve component. Training became mandatory and focused on basic recruit instruction, promotional courses, and prosecution courses to service native courts.

In 1958, the current Administration Police Act was implemented. This act strengthened the Administration Police's policing and broadened its mandate for national security, marking a shift from the Tribal Police Ordinance. The new changes were reflected in the structure of the APS organization, with ranks from constable to sergeant major being established.

During the early period of independence, to the late 1970s, the APS transformed itself from being a localized police service to one where personnel served in all parts of the country.

Training policies were changed to reflect internationally accepted standards of democratic policing. In 1967, centralized training was relocated from Ruringu, Nyeri, to the Administration Police Training School in Embakasi.

The 1960s also saw the APS establish its place in post-independence national security, by carrying out counter-insurgency assignments against Shifta rebels in northern Kenya.

In 1978, the officer rank of inspector was introduced, followed by Gazetted Officers (GOs) in 1981.

In 1987, the first female officers joined the Administration Police. As part of a concerted effort, over 4,600 female Administration Police officers were in the service by 2015. Many have been deployed to specialist posts, and a number have become officers as part of their career development.

Since 2000, the APS headquarters has been reorganised, with the establishment of support elements: which include communication, quartermaster, logistics, finance, information communication technology, medical, operations planning, and research. There was also an introduction of new units to address border security, counterterrorism, and banditry, with enhanced operational capabilities beyond ordinary law enforcement.