Police Chief, Martin Ochola Okoth has sent a selected team of officers for more training at Uganda Junior Command and Staff College in Jinja District.
The purpose according to one of the trainees why Ochola chose the team is to enhance professionalism and acquiring more skills in handling rioters and crowd control particularly protesters.
On several occasions many police men have made mistakes which have left the image of the institution dented more especially when the men in uniform are battling opposition leaders and their supporters mostly in Kampala.
A couple of male officers have been filmed manhandling female opposition leaders, others fondling women’s breasts who are among protesters while others arresting brutally the opposition stalwarts.
Most of the time the images and video clips go viral on internet leaving Police exposed as a brutal institution which uses excessive force where unnecessary.
In another area where Ochola has realised his institution is lacking is interpreting legality of the law.
On similar occasions police has been left ashamed for torturing suspects, detaining them beyond beyond 48 hours without producing them in Court while others have been denied bail which is a constitutional right for every citizen of Uganda.
So this special team that is currently in Masindi on its return will be deployed across country to enforce the law in every police station.
“It will be a unit tasked to oversee the police. Because they will have attained special skills, they will be allowed to release suspects who will be found in custody after spending 48 hours,” said one of the trainees who asked not to be named.
This team, whereas it is parallel to Professional Standards Unit, it will also have the powers to arrest any officer found breaking the law.
A source in police said the incidences in which men in uniform have been seen cordoning off opposition leaders at their homes, arresting them like chicken thieves will all come to an end.
“Once we are back, this tendency of firing teargas at protesters will be minimised unless we are extremely provoked by the protesters,” he added.
Currently Uganda Police has been seen engaging in running battles with supporters of Kizza Besigye and Robert Kyagulanyi and also reaching an extent of banning these leaders from appearing on radio talk shows.
Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga couldn’t be reached for a comment. Equally, Police’ political Commissar AIGP Asan Kasingye didn’t respond to our calls.
