The Director of Criminal Investigations George Kinoti is setting up a quick response team to decimate armed robberies, kidnappings and ensure food safety.
The chief detective on December 31 said the team will work in with other policing agencies under the newly formed Special Service Unit.
“It will be populated with officers of high integrity and specialised skills to do surveillance [covertly and overtly] to enable them react appropriately,” Kinoti said in memo sent to DCI regional, formations directors and units’ commanders.
“The Unit will be based in Nairobi and operate nationally in areas experiencing sporadic armed crimes that warrants extra concerted intervention.”
DEADLINE
In the memo, Kinoti said officers intending to join the unit must be have served with the DCI for not less than three years and should submit their applications by January 10, 2020.
He directed the commanders to recommend the officers’ suitability and forward their personal files before the application deadline.
Kinoti said that besides meeting other qualifications, the officers must be above average in shooting skills or possess special training.
Those in the rank of the police constable must be 30 years and below while non-commissioned officers [NCOs] in the ranks of corporal, sergeant and senior sergeant must be 35 years or below.
But the recruitment is seen as Kinoti’s plan to bring back the officers removed from Flying Squad’s Nairobi’s branch on Interior cabinet secretary Fred Matiangi’s orders in February 2018.
Kinoti recalled most of the officers who had been transferred to police stations in far-flung areas shortly after the transfers and assembled them at the Parklands DCI offices where they have been operating from, undertaking similar duties they discharged while serving with the Flying Squad.
And on today December 31, 2019, he formed a new unit – Sting Squad Headquarters and renamed Special Crimes Prevention Unit to the SSU, which he said will accommodate officers from SCPU and Flying Squad after disbanding the units.
Credit: Source link