Inside new police command structure, units unveiled by IG Kanja in major security shake-up

Inspector-General of Police Douglas Kanja has unveiled a major reorganization of the National Police Service (NPS), introducing new police formations and specialized units.

The Ministry of Interior in a statement on July 31 said that the reorganization is part of reforms aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, coordination, accountability and service delivery across the country.

According to the Ministry, the reforms are intended to strengthen the organization of the NPS by establishing new formations while providing a clearer command structure for the Kenya Police Service, Administration Police Service and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations.

IG Kanja in a special Gazette notice dated July 30 noted that the changes amend the National Police Service Standing Orders by replacing the entire Chapter 7, which governs the formations, units and components of the service.

Among the notable additions are the Nairobi Metropolitan Police, Judiciary Police Unit, Kenya Police Marine Unit and the Kenya Police Quick Response Unit, all of which have now been formally established under the amended organizational structure.

Under the revised structure, the Kenya Police Service (KPS) will now comprise 13 formations and specialized units.

These include the KPS Headquarters, General Service Unit (GSU), Kenya Police Traffic Unit, Presidential Escort Unit, Kenya Airports Police Unit, Kenya Railways and Ports Police Unit, K9 Police Unit, Diplomatic Police Unit, Tourist Police Unit and Government Vehicle Check Unit.

The newly established Nairobi Metropolitan Police, Kenya Police Marine Unit and Kenya Police Quick Response Unit have also been incorporated into the service.

The Inspector-General has directed that the command structure, deployment and distribution of these formations will be determined by the Deputy Inspector-General in consultation with his office.

In addition, the amended Standing Orders require the Deputy Inspector-General to issue operational directives, standing orders and standard operating procedures governing the units' operations.

The Administration Police Service (APS) has also undergone restructuring, with the introduction of the Judiciary Police Unit, a specialized formation expected to support the security needs of the Judiciary.

Other formations retained under the Administration Police include the Security of Government Buildings and Very Important Persons Protection Unit, Rapid Deployment Police Unit, Border Police Unit, Anti-Stock Theft Police Unit, Critical Infrastructure Police Unit, Energy Police Unit, Mining Police Unit, Water Police Unit and the National Government Administration Police Unit.

As with the KPS, the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of the Administration Police will determine the command structure, deployment and operational procedures of the formations in consultation with the Inspector-General.

While the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) did not receive new frontline police formations, the legal notice reorganizes and clarifies its command structure.

The DCI formations will continue to include the Directorate Headquarters, National Police Service Forensic Laboratory, Counter-Terrorism Bureau, National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, Kenya Airports Criminal Investigations and Kenya Railways and Ports Criminal Investigations.

The notice also formally establishes ten investigative commands responsible for investigative and forensic services.

These include the Investigations Bureau, Operations Bureau, Homicide Investigations Bureau, INTERPOL National Central Bureau, Counter-Terrorism Bureau, Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau, National Anti-Narcotics Investigations Bureau, National Police Service Forensic Laboratory, Kenya Airports Criminal Investigations and Kenya Railways and Ports Criminal Investigations.

DCI has been granted powers to organize these commands into specialized units, sub-units, sections or desks, and may merge or reorganize them whenever necessary to improve operational efficiency.

The amended Standing Orders also expand the Inspector-General's authority over the organization of the National Police Service.

Under the new framework, no police formation, unit or component may be established, varied or abolished without the approval of the Inspector-General.

The IG has also been empowered to issue written directions for the integration, merger or reorganization of police formations across the KPS, APS and DCI.

Where disputes arise over the mandates of different formations or specialized units, the Inspector-General will have the authority to issue binding written directions to resolve them.

In addition, all operational guidelines and standard operating procedures governing police formations must now receive the Inspector-General's written approval before implementation and be made available to officers.

The reforms also retain the Office of the Inspector-General's existing formations, including the National Police Service Headquarters, National Police Airwing, National Police Reserve and National Police Referral Hospital, while maintaining that police training institutions across the three services will continue operating under the National Police Service's training policy and development framework.