Abstract
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) plays a vital role in Kenya’s law enforcement system, tackling complex crimes including cybercrime, terrorism, financial fraud, and narcotics. However, operational challenges, limited public engagement, and calls for accountability have underscored the need for reform. This study examined the strategies adopted to enhance the DCI’s performance through personnel, structural, and technological reforms. Employing a mixed-methods approach and descriptive survey design, the study targeted 5,383 DCI officers, alongside over 100,000 civil society actors and Nyumba Kumi members. A total of 384 respondents were selected using cluster, stratified, random, and purposive sampling. Data were collected through questionnaires (184 valid responses), interviews with eight Regional Criminal Investigations Officers (RCIOs), and eight Focus Group Discussions with community stakeholders. A pilot was conducted in Kericho County to ensure reliability and validity. Descriptive findings revealed that 71.73% of officers viewed continuous training and merit-based promotions as key to enhancing performance, while 57.06% supported transparent recruitment and community policing. Only 28.8% cited improved technology and infrastructure as critical, highlighting disparities in implementation. Qualitative data from RCIOs emphasised uneven resource distribution, limited training access, and centralised decision-making as key challenges. Civil society respondents underscored the need for trust-building through regular police-community dialogues. The study concludes that effective reform requires more than policy directives; it demands investment in human capital, decentralisation of decision-making, technological capacity building, and community collaboration to improve the DCI’s performance and public legitimacy.