The Directorate of Criminal Investigations has received a boost after 350 police officers joined the unit from the Kenya Police Service.
The personnel include 21 inspectors, two sergeants and 12 corporals while the rest are constables.
The new team is expected to undergo further specialized training before they are deployed to various sections for operations.
The DCI has been in need of personnel to fill various vacancies left by officers who have either left through various ways including retirement, resignations, sackings or deaths.
Director of Personnel at KPS Jacinta Muthoni, in an internal memo dated May 19, told regional commanders to release the officers to the DCI by June 8.
“Release the officers to report to DCI HQ Nairobi (Mazingira House) near the forensic lab on 8th June 2023 for deployment. Submit casualty returns on departure/arrival. Commanders acknowledge receipt and compliance,” said part of the memo.
The personnel were spot talented in an exercise done in weeks.
There is a demand for more personnel in the DCI given the increased work.
Police say crimes are increasing in general hence the need for more personnel and training.
There are many operational units within DCI, which need more personnel.
They include Operational Support Unit, which is a new one.
And with the launch of the National Forensic Laboratory, the demands are increasing.
The police have also decentralized their services which have increased the demand.
At the laboratory, there are different sections, including fingerprints, ballistics, cybercrime, document examination, economic crimes, toxicology, computer forensics, mobile device forensics, malware analysis, computer incidents response team, network forensics, research and training and biological and chemistry sections.
There is Digital Forensic Laboratory, whose overall function will be to identify, seize, acquire and analyse all electronic devices related to all cyber-enabled offences reported.
This is to collect digital evidence that will be presented in a court of law for prosecution.
The DFL is divided into subunits, each outlining specific roles and responsibilities of the Digital Forensics Analysts.
Kenya is now marketing its National Forensic Laboratory to regional countries for use.
More than 1,000 detectives in various fields have been trained and deployed there for use.