The mandate of the Directorate of Criminal Investigations is to investigate all serious criminal cases as guided by law.
The Directorate of Criminal Investigations derives her mandate from Article 247 of the Constitution of Kenya and through the National Police Service Act 2011 which establishes the Directorate as an organ of the NPS responsible to the Inspector General.
The mandate of the Directorate is further derived from Part V, Section 28 and 35 of the National Police Service Act 2011 which gives the core functions of the Directorate in the areas of detection, prevention and investigation of crime.
Pursuant to Section 35 the Directorate shall-
a) collect and provide criminal intelligence;
b) undertake investigations on serious crimes including homicide, narcotic crimes, human trafficking, money laundering, terrorism, economic crimes, piracy, organised crime, and cybercrime among others;
c) maintain law and order;
d) detect and prevent crime;
e) apprehend offenders;
f) maintain criminal records;
g) conduct forensic analysis;
h) execute the directions given to the Inspector-General by the Director of Public Prosecutions pursuant to Article 157 (4) of the Constitution;
i) coordinate country Interpol Affairs;
j) investigate any matter that may be referred to it by the Independent Police Oversight Authority; and
k) Perform any other function conferred on it by any other written law.