The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Inspector-General of Police, Martin Ochola, has ordered for the distribution of more than 50,000 copies of the new Standard Operation Procedures to all police officers, LDUs and UPDF soldiers attached to the police force.
In response to President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to draft new SOPs on use of force and guns, Ochola has released new guidelines that have to be followed by all police personnel including security men and women from sister security agencies but attached to police stations or police divisions.
Police Spokesperson, Fred Enanga, said Ochola has directed that all security personnel receive a copy of the handbook containing the new SOPs. Ochola has further directed that the officers must always be with their handbooks purposely to read and remind themselves on how to contain situations.
Ochola directed police commanders to always control their men in the area and ensure that no innocent person or bypasser is caught in the crossfire. The police chief also instructed commanders to always determine the degree of force employed depends upon the number of aggressors, nature and characteristic of the weapons, other circumstances such as the place and location of the assault.
The directive to Ochola was after Museveni said he had noticed the need to stop random shooting by police and LDUs under the command of the police. The first citizen cited incidents in Katakwi where people had been shot yet they were fighting among themselves.
Enanga said if policemen and women adhere to the simplified SOPs, it would minimize operational mistakes. Police officers are tasked to always issue warnings before they apply force to control a situation.
All security personnel in police-led operations are directed to make sure the force used must be authorized by law for instance batons, teargas, water cannons, handcuffs and teaser guns.
Besides, each policeman or woman must be prepared to account for the force used. That means the law enforcement officer must explain the choice of the preferred force used in that particular situation.
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