The Forensic Services branch was established in the early 2000s, after a series of consultations by the then Director of Criminal Investigation, Commissioner of Police and the office of the President under the Permanent Secretary. It was then, that the government decided that the Police Forensic Laboratory be established under the then Criminal Investigation Department. 

The National Forensic Lab is the backbone of the Forensic Directorate and was officially opened by H.E the former President Hon Uhuru Kenyatta of the republic of Kenya on 13th June 2022. 

The overall mandate of the NFL is to support to criminal investigations in the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the entire National Police Service. The Laboratory scientists analyse evidence collected from crime scenes, suspects and victims. The evidence can be fingerprints, firearms, digital evidence, biological or chemical.