DCI to change mode of recruitment of their personnel in key changes

The new DCI George Kinoti and outgoing one Ndegwa Muhoro during handover session at DCI headquarters in Nairobi on Monday.

The dreaded Flying Squad police unit has been disbanded.

The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) wants to build the crack unit afresh, sources said.

And the DCI will no longer recruit its personnel straight from police training colleges.

The unit's officers have been ordered to return all equipment by Thursday this week and report to DCI officers in Nairobi for further directions, according to a memo issued last week.

Flying Squad officers serving across the country, apart from those in Nairobi, have been ordered to return all police property in their possession, including handcuffs. 

The new DCI boss George Kinoti plans to rebuild the squad and staff it with new personnel under one command, a source said.

POLICE COMMANDERS

Currently, the officers have been operating under regional police commanders, which made it difficult to co-ordinate their activities. 

Flying Squad officers are mainly used to carry out special duties such raids. They also back up other officers, even in terror related operations. 

Also known as Anti-Motor Vehicle Theft Unit, Flying Squad is among crack units under the DCI. 

The directorate has reverted to its old system of recruiting Flying Squad officers from police stations, targeting those who have served for at least three years.

The officers are identified by a station's crime branch and recommended by area OCPD and the officer in charge of crime section

Disbandment of the unit is part of key recommendations adopted during the launch of the Service Standing Orders, Scheme of Service, Recruit Curriculum and Career progression (Promotions) curriculum at Kenya School of Government.

The DCI is seen as the backbone of the police yet it has been performing dismally in the recent past and insiders have attributed this to "structural problems".

The directorate started direct recruitment programme of officers from colleges five years ago, which insiders say has negatively impacted on their work.

During the Kenya School of Government meeting, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i said they would not tolerate corruption in the traffic department.

“If there is a corrupt officer in traffic, sack him we meet in court,” Matiang'i said.

He said police officers would now be moved across the services from Kenya Police, Administration Police and DCI.

Other special units under DCI include Special Crimes Prevention Unit, Cyber Crime Unit and Criminal Intelligence Unit. They are all faced with major changes. 

The decision to disband Flying Squad is informed by claims some of the officers colluded with criminals. 

Several of them have been accused of leasing out their weapons to criminals.

“After the Kiambu incident, in which a policeman was implicated in a scandal of leasing out weapons, it has been decided that all guns be recalled for ballistic tests,” said an insider.

When reached for comment, Kinoti only said: "A change is as good as a rest."