The security heads in Mayuge on Friday issued a seven–day ultimatum to all private security companies operating in the district to avail them with a comprehensive report on their activities.
In the report, the different security companies are required to declare to the District Security Committee the number of guns, gun serial numbers, the number of rounds of ammunition in each gun, the names and contacts of the personnel holding each gun plus details of where their gun holders are exactly deployed.
The orders were announced by the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Trevor Solomon Baleke while chairing a District Security meeting between District Security Committee (DSC) members and Private Security Companies (PSO) operating in Mayuge.
“As you are aware, it is a legal requirement for you to furnish the DSC with monthly returns. But it is shocking that only three of the 18 PSOs operating in Mayuge have always complied with submission of the returns.”
“Therefore, you are hereby given up to Friday next week to submit your returns for last month. And in future, the DSC must receive your monthly returns every end of month. The District Crime Intelligence Officer and DISO are here to provide you a format and guidance on what is expected from you. Please liaise with them,” ordered Baleke.
He also declared a ban on single gun deployment.
The Deputy RDC said where an armed personnel is deployed, there must be second personnel with another riffle.
“The second riffle guards and protects the other gun. By so doing, we prevent criminality and safeguard the deployed personnel,” he said.
Efforts by some private security companies to convince the veteran journalist why they have always deployed one armed personnel were not tolerated by the tough talking Baleke.
“It is not a matter of arguing and convincing me. We are here as the District Security Committee to hear from you but to also communicate to you what the law and guidelines say. It is risky deploying one armed person because if he is attacked by criminals, he will have no one to save the situation,” he explained.
One of the participants of the meeting, a PSO director told us on condition of anonymity that the meeting was very fruitful and an eye-opener to the private security companies.
Our sources say the PSO owners and managers were also lectured on the benefits of working under the close supervision and guidance of the police leadership in their districts of operation.
“We have been promised by the District Crime Intelligence Officer copies the Act under which we operate. This shall help us so much. And the Deputy RDC together with DISO have given us very important notes on how we must handle ourselves,” reveals a participant who also says the engagement was the first of its kind.
The meeting follows reports of robberies in and around Mayuge.
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