Detectives are investigating an incident where a police officer was found dead in his house in Kiminini, Trans Nzoia county after he had inhaled suspected carbon monoxide.

Constable Nucholas Nzia was missing from his place of work and he was not responding to his calls.

This prompted his colleagues to go to his house to check on him on Tuesday. It was then that they found the door locked from inside. The colleagues broke into the house where they found his body lying on the seat.

A jiko with charcoal that had burnt was found next to the body. It is not clear whether he died by suicide or was trying to warm himself using the jiko when he died from inhaling the carbon monoxide.

He was attached to the Kiungani Police Station. Police said the body was taken to the mortuary pending an autopsy and other procedures. The officer lived alone in a rental house.

Police said they are investigating the death. Suicide is one of the leading causes of deaths in the service.

Authorities police are exposed to many forms of trauma that lead some to suicide in a worrying trend.

As part of efforts to address the trend, police authorities have launched counselling services, and the National Police Service Commission has established a unit and staffed it to attend to their demanding situation.

The counselling unit, among other things, evaluates, designs and leads an outreach programme that helps prevent mental health and substance abuse. Officials say police are generally on the receiving end of all community problems.

They are expected to maintain law and order in very difficult situations, besides putting their lives at risk. Over the years, a spike in deaths in the service has been linked to trauma.

Carbon monoxide is regarded as a silent killer. A burning jiko emits carbon monoxide, which is deadly. Carbon monoxide poisoning is more likely to occur when people are asleep.

The team also wants to establish if the officer died from carbon monoxide poisoning or it was set there. Carbon monoxide poisoning, always referred to as ‘the silent killer’ happens when the toxic odourless gases emitted from burning wood or charcoal mix with blood and affect oxygen circulation in the body.

When one breathes in carbon monoxide, it enters the blood, mixes with the red blood cells' haemoglobin to form poisonous carboxyhaemoglobin that prevents blood from transporting oxygen. Officials warn against the use of jiko in poorly ventilated places. by CYRUS OMBATI, The Star