On 31 October,2022 , a group of armed assailants attacked Busiika Police Station, shot and killed two police officers on duty, injured two others and thereafter, robbed two police guns from them.
According to Police, the facts gathered indicated that the assailants who were about 7, were armed with a pistol and guns. They shot and killed, D/IP Wagaluka Alex, the in-charge CID and PC Ongol Moses, both attached to Busiika Police station. During the attack, the assailants injured two other police officers, who included; PC Ochom Adrian and PC Odama Stephen. Both injured victims were rushed to Bombo Military General Hospital for further medical treatment.
They also burnt several case files and attempted to burn the station. The fire was, however, successfully put off by the community at Busiika Town Council. And according to the Crime Intelligence Directorate headed by Brig Gen Chris Damulira, assailants executed their mission successfully because of fewer personnel numbers at the post.
As a way of saving their officers from assailant attacks, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Martin Okoth Ochola ordered the closure of police posts that are far and have less number of officers. In his argument, he said that would protect officers from the thugs who have made it a tendency to attack police stations.
According to Ochola, the closure of the police posts was a directive of President Yoweri Museveni that was put up three years ago, however, its executions had been delayed. Last week the ordinance was immediately executed and some Police Posts in the Lubaga division like Nalukolongo, Kitebi, Munaku, and Kabawo were closed.
So far, several Police posts situated in places distant from the main posts have been closed. However, during the reign of Gen Edward Kale Kayihura as the police boss, most of the closed police booths now were set up with the idea of manning up security personnel in far distant areas and promoting community policing.
In a time when criminals can attack police stations, it will be very dangerous for citizens to be left without any police posts near them to run to.
According to residents whose police posts have been closed, the long-sustained peace that had been there because of the existence of police posts is so far over.
“Criminals that used to attack women going to markets had reduced. People have been able to wake up very early and go to work even though sometimes they face attacks by thugs. Now without any of these posts, we are going to be killed by thugs,” said one of the citizens.
Most of the closed police booths were set up in black spot areas where criminality was high, some areas like Kisenyi are hives of criminals and the closure of such police posts is a direct green light to the growth of criminality.
According to residents from Kisenyi, their area almost accommodates every criminal, it’s a place where drug addicts, rapists and robbers live and on top of that it’s an area that welcomes very many unknown people, therefore the existence of police post, is /was a source of security for both the local and the visitors.
Last week, Uganda Police Spokesperson Fred Enanga, noted that they were unveiling a new model of policing whose key aspects would involve the establishment of at least one police station per sub-county, deployment of not less than 20 personnel, deployment of motorcycle squads, installation of counter phones that are popularized among residents, dedicated counter response teams, critical facilities, modern lockup facilities, better accommodation and medical services.
However, although Enanga, disclosed that the proposed sub-county policing model will ensure effective policing policy, in the urban and rural areas of the community, we have seen many scenarios where crimes have been committed and Police patrols arrive three hours after. Also, the fear factor of the existing police booth in an area is far better than patrolling.
Create a scenario where there are three criminal activities taking place in the same areas with two or one patrol!
Police say they are going to increase technology-based policing since Closed Circuit Television –CCTV cameras have been erected in many urban areas. Highways too and major towns are already being monitored at the National CCTV Command Centre at Naguru. However, the country has witnessed cases where CCTV cameras were not operational.
Lastly, I would think community policing would be better because it connects the community with the police and if the two parties join hands criminality can be dealt with, live examples have been realized in Masaka by former Police’s Political Commissar Assistant Inspector General of Police Asan Kasingye.
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