By Cyrus Ombati

The Criminal Investigation’s Department is to undergo a major transformation by the end of this year.

The reforms, according to sources, will start with the expansion of the elite Criminal Intelligence Unit (CIU) to all divisional headquarters to boost crime detection, prevention and investigations.

The proposal to expand CIU has, according to sources, been necessitated by the nature of intelligence that is usually supplied to the police on crime by the National Security Intelligence Service (NSIS).

"NSIS usually concentrate on politics and never give out crime intelligence that can help in our core mandates.

"That is why we want to expand CIU and fund them to carry out these duties," said a senior officer, who asked not to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter.

The changes being pushed by Commissioner of Police Mathew Iteere are said to be part of the reforms proposed by various agencies, including the National Taskforce on Police Reforms.

Iteere has asked provincial commanders to propose names of officers from various divisions who will join the elite unit after training at the CID Training School in South C, Nairobi.

Police Spokesman Eric Kiraithe confirmed major reforms will affect the whole force.

"We will be a world-class force once these reforms are complete. I cannot tell how much it will cost but it will be in billions of shillings," said Kiraithe.

Both Iteere and CID Director Gatiba Karanja were in Singapore on an official trip at the time we went to press but their aides confirmed the proposals.

Insiders said CIU will develop its databank on all criminals and their activities, which they will use in helping their colleagues tackle crimes.

The officers from the unit will target criminals’ hideouts and collect intelligence that will help suppress crimes.

"If it means having people operating as prostitutes to get accurate intelligence we will deploy officers there because we have the capacity to do so. The Government is serious on this," added our source.

More undercover units will be formed to enhance the operations and fit to various categories of their specialisation.

The teams will, for instance, keep data on all criminals, crimes committed, the time they were committed, the mode of operation for any crime and other necessary details that may help curb the vices.

CIU has been operating from CID headquarters alone and is a sub-unit within the department whose main mandate has been collection, tabulation and recording of history and data concerning crime, undesirable and suspicious persons or relating to individuals and matters calling for special enquiry.

A committee on police reforms had been informed that police have in the past five years been unable to tame some crimes because they lack intelligence and capacity.

This has been blamed on the misuse of confidential fund that is usually provided by the Government to enhance police operations.

The money is used to pay informers who help police crack criminal activities.

Sources say the Government is now ready to fund all projects that will revamp the department.