DCI to Get More Powers in New Changes

Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti addresses the media on Thursday, March 5, 2020.
Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti addresses the media on Thursday, March 5, 2020.
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) is set for more powers under the Building Bridges Initiative proposals

The BBI committee wants DCI to be an independent and third arm of the National Police Service (NPS). 

The new proposal will also see the DCI run under a DIG should the initiative will be adopted. 

NPS currently has two arms; the Kenya Police Service and the Administration Police Service. 

Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters along Kiambu Road
Directorate of Criminal Investigations headquarters along Kiambu Road
Simon Kiragu
Kenyans.co.ke

Both KPS and AP are headed by a Deputy Inspector Governor of Police (DIG). 

The proposal further suggests that the DCI boss can be appointed to temporarily act as the Inspector General of Police in case of a vacancy in the position.

However, he or she will only serve for a period not exceeding three months before an IG is appointed.

The DCI wing has faced several internal changes in the past years. On Tuesday, December 31, 2019, DCI boss George Kinoti disbanded the famous flying squad unit and replaced it with a new unit dubbed Sting Squad Headquarters (SSH). 

SSH was tasked with identifying, researching and profiling crimes such as armed robberies, kidnappings, motor vehicle theft, sale and distribution of contraband and substandard goods. 

The Special Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU) was also scaled down to a smaller unit only based at Headquarters, Nairobi.  It was renamed to Special Service Unit (SSU).

"Both Squads (SSU) and (SSH) will be linked directly to the Crime Research & Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) for intelligence-driven operations alongside other augmenting Units including; Cybercrime, Ballistics, Scenes of Crime, Principal Crime Registrar, Crime Intelligence Unit, Homicide, (DNA, Toxicological, Chemistry and Biology Lab Units), currently being installed in the Ultra-Modern Forensic Laboratory. 

"The units will work closely with other State Security Agencies for information and intelligence sharing, among others. Both squads will be on standby 24/7 as needed in critical crime emergencies within the country," the DCI stated.

 

DCI's ERT Squad conducts a drill during training
DCI's ERT Squad conducts a drill during training.
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DCI
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