Abstract: A fully functioning police service is vital for maintenance of peace, provision of security, and
enforcement of a country‘s laws. The work performance of police officers in Nakuru and other divisions in
Kenya has been below the expectations of the public over the recent years. Performance is affected by factors
such as training, job satisfaction, career progression, remuneration, recognition, working environment,
standard operating procedures, facilities and equipments, management style and occupational stress. The study
examined the effects of occupational stress on work performance of police officers in Nakuru police division.
The study used the descriptive survey research design. A sample size of 91 respondents; 1 OCPD, 3 OCS and 87
officers of other ranks drawn from a population of 269 took part in the study. The respondents were selected
using purposive, proportionate and simple random sampling techniques. Three instruments; OCS and the police
officers and an OCPD interview schedule were used to collect data. The content and face validity of the three
instruments were examined by experts from the Department of Psychology, Counseling and Educational
Foundations, Egerton University. The OCS and Police Officers questionnaires were piloted for reliability. The
instruments yielded reliability coefficients of 0.7838 and 0.7192 respectively. Data was analysed with the aid of
the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics; frequencies, percentages, means and
standard deviations were used to describe and summarise data. Difference in work performance of the police
officers by level of occupational stress was determined using the t-test. The study established that police officers
are exposed to high levels of occupational stress and their work performance was rated as fair. The study also
established that occupations stress negatively affects work performance of the police. The study further found
out police officers lack of a welfare support system despite the stressful nature of their work. The study
recommends that NPSC puts in place policies and mechanisms that reduce sources of work related stress.