A new Regional Criminal Investigations Officer (RCIO) for Nairobi took over on Wednesday, September 25 in changes announced.
The director of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin named Benson Kasyoki as the new Nairobi RCIO in the changes.
Kasyoki who has been the Eastern RCIO replaced Njeru Nthiga who moved to Western in the same capacity.
The new Eastern RCIO is Benard Korir who had been in the same position in the Western region while George Kisaka took over in Nyanza.
Amin said the changes are normal and aimed at enhancing operations in the areas affected.
The changes in Nairobi come in the wake of ongoing investigations into killings and disappearances linked to the anti-government protests.
Police are at the centre of the investigations and some of them have so far recorded statements in the ongoing probe.
Officials said more changes are expected in the coming days.
The DCI is seen as the backbone of the police and at times employs different methods to deal with a specific issue.
The department has regional offices backed by those in counties, sub-counties and at times wards.
It also has special units that help them enhance their operations.
The main functions of the DCI include collection and provision of criminal intelligence, investigations on serious crimes including homicides, narcotics, money laundering and economic crimes, maintaining of law and order and detection and prevention of crime.
They also apprehend offenders, maintain criminal records, coordinate country Interpol Affairs, and carry out investigations of matters that may be referred to by the Independent Police Oversight Authority.
Other special units under DCI include the Cyber Crime Unit, Sting Squad Headquarters (SSH), Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB), which is for intelligence-driven operations, Ballistics, Scenes of Crime, Principal Crime Registrar, Crime Intelligence Unit and Homicide’s DNA, Toxicological, Chemistry and Biology Lab Units.
Police officers attached to crack units stand out in comparison to colleagues from regular duty.
For instance, they dress in plain clothes and ride in unmarked cars, which are at times fitted with foreign registration number plates.
And while police officers on regular duty are required to maintain a clean shave, those in the crack units often sport baggy trousers, trendy T-shirts, dreadlocked hair and long beards just in case they have to go undercover.
In most cases, the unit officers do not appear in court to give evidence since most of their missions are like those of hit squads.
In a majority of the cases, they are not sent to make arrests because their missions involve the exchange of fire that often ends in the deaths of suspects.