Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen has revealed plans to hire more staff for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to address gaps.
This comes as the DCI remains under scrutiny over its handling of various cases, particularly the forced disappearances of Kenyans.
Speaking after his inaugural visit to the police agency, Murkomen stated that he would lead efforts to modernise the DCI to meet contemporary needs.
“To meet the current technological and scientific demands of investigations, the government will fully operationalise the National Forensic Laboratory and revamp the National Criminal Investigations Academy to enhance the capacity of our investigators,” he said in a statement.
He added, “We will also enhance the recruitment of specialised personnel to address the human resource gap in the organisation.”
According to Murkomen, the DCI remains a crucial part of the country's fight against crime.
The National Forensic Laboratory was officially opened on June 13, 2022, by then-President Uhuru Kenyatta to enhance the country's capacity to conduct scientific investigations.
The lab is, among other things, to host the fingerprint identification bureau, document examination, and ballistics, conduct chemical analyses, including toxicology tests, perform DNA analysis and other biological assessments, and process and analyse visual and audio evidence.
It also manages and preserves physical evidence, provides support in crime scene analysis and reconstruction, handles digital evidence, including data recovery and analysis, and deals with explosives and hazardous substances.
The DCI has a range of employment opportunities across various departments. The Administration Directorate manages human resources, finance, and logistics, while the Operations Directorate oversees nationwide operations.
The Investigation Directorate focuses on serious crimes, including homicide, narcotics, human trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, economic crimes, piracy, organised crime, and cybercrime.
Additionally, the Forensic Directorate provides forensic analysis and maintains criminal records. This is the area Murkomen wants to bolster.
Specialised units within the DCI include the Crime Research Intelligence Bureau, which analyses crime data and provides intelligence; the Special Operations Group, handling operations requiring advanced tactical skills; and the Counter-Terrorism Centre of Excellence, dedicated to counter-terrorism efforts.
The Serious Crime Unit investigates high-profile cases, while the Operations Support Unit offers operational assistance to various divisions. The Public Complaints Department addresses grievances from the public regarding DCI operations.
These departments and units offer roles such as investigators, forensic experts, intelligence analysts, administrative staff, and specialised tactical officers.
In May 2023, the DCI received an additional 350 police officers from the Kenya Police Service to address personnel shortages in various areas. Earlier, in January 2019, the DCI recruited 600 specialists to bolster its capabilities.
