The Inspector General of Police (IG) Joseph Boinnet and the Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti are at loggerheads over the new police reforms.
According to the new structure, detectives at the DCI will be required to report to uniformed police officers of a lower rank.
The two openly disagreed at a meeting at the DCI headquarters on Kiambu Road on November 24, that was called to contain a fall out between uniformed officers and their plainclothes colleagues.
Kinoti is pushing for the review of the changes announced by President Uhuru Kenyatta. Technically, the DCI chief is personally expected to report to the IG.
Boinnet has remained adamant, however, that the streamlined more cohesive structure announced by the President would not be altered.
Several persons attending the Saturday meeting revealed to The Star that Boinnet urged the DCI to find alternative ways to redeploy senior officers who fear the changes will make them lose their rank, offices, and status.
In the current set up, the office of the DCI is semi-autonomous, meaning its officers report directly to their seniors in the same department.
The highest ranking DCI commander in the field (Regional DCI Chief) holds the rank of Assistant Inspector General of police (AIG).
In the proposed changes, the Regional Police Commander would be elevated to AIG. The DCI commander operating under the commander would hold a lower rank, possibly commissioner of police.
In October, Kinoti called a crisis meeting attended by all senior DCI commanders. Top detectives opposed what they called a loss of prestigious ranks and offices.
