The Flying Squad Sub-units have been replaced by “Sting Squad Headquarters” (SSH) that will have a maximum of 50 specialized trained officers who will respond to specific cases, says Kenya’s Directorate of Criminal Investigations(DCI).
“With effect from today (Tuesday), the Unit has equally been disbanded. This marks the end of the Flying Squad Unit and no officer will present himself or herself to the public as such,” announced the DCI on its official pages.
Part of the DCI’s reorganisation, the Special Crime Prevention Unit (SCPU) has been scaled down to a smaller unit only based in Nairobi.
“It has been renamed Special Service Unit (SSU). Officers deployed in the unit have undergone intense training in & outside the country leading to the upgrading of their competencies, enhanced skills and knowledge aimed at making the Unit more effective and efficient while maximising on the available resources.
To replace the Flying Squad and create an auxiliary support team on identified, researched and profiled crimes, another squad has been formed and named “Sting Squad Headquarters” (SSH).
The SSH will have a maximum of 50 specialized trained officers who will respond to specific cases. Head of the unit Musa Yego will now be based at the DCI headquarters while his deputy Jack Owino was moved to Embu and named the local DCIO.
“The cases include; armed robberies, kidnappings, motor vehicle theft, sale and distribution of contraband and substandard goods. Before they are assembled, the competitively selected officers will undertake specialized courses within and outside the country touching on their core areas of operation.
Both Squads (SSU) and (SSH) will be linked directly to the Crime Research and Intelligence Bureau (CRIB) for intelligence-driven operations alongside other augmenting Units including; Cybercrime, Ballistics, Scenes of Crime, Principal Crime Registrar, Crime Intelligence Unit, Homicide, (DNA, Toxicological, Chemistry and Biology Lab Units), currently being installed in the Ultra-Modern Forensic Laboratory.
The units will work closely with other State Security Agencies for information and intelligence sharing, among others.
Both squads will be on standby 24/7 as needed in critical crime emergencies within the country.
