Investigate cases before effecting arrest - Kayihura

The Inspector General of Police Gen. Kale Kayihura has issued new directives demanding police officers to first investigate cases before arresting suspects and confining them in police cells for long.

He was reacting to complaints from Kibuku MP Herbert Kinobero who complained that police were arresting and detaining his constituents for several days without taking them to court.

Kayihura said that with the exception of the capital or serious offences, the police should first ascertain the facts and investigate before rushing to arrest suspects.

"Community policing is not arresting. Arresting should be the last resort. The principle method should be prevention and engagement. First investigate before you arrest."

"Most of you are still in the old policing regime. Why do you rush to arrest? First investigate and when you have enough evidence, you go for the person who committed the crime," he said.

The police chief said the old policing system dealt with symptoms while the new one goes to the core root of the problem.

The IGP was speaking during the commissioning of a police station built by crime preventers in Nansyono village, Mikombe parish, Kiriki sub-county, Kabweri constituency, Kibuku district in Eastern Uganda.

It is the first police station to be built by crime preventers in the whole country.

Kayihura praised the crime preventers, describing them as patriotic and nationalistic for the job they had done. He encouraged police officers to work with crime preventers to enforce the principle of 'neighborhood watch'.

The land where the police station was built was donated by the family of the late Samuel Luzige and the crime preventers made bricks, mobilized for firewood that burnt the bricks, collected money for cement and built the office block themselves.

Kayihura said he was extremely happy with crime preventers in the district and described Kibuku as the model district in implementing and grasping the doctrine of community policing.

He took his officers through the three pillars of community policing which included, prevention of crime, partnership with the local community and problem solving.

The police boss promised the youths support and urged them to write down their business plans and forward them to his office.

At the same event, Kayihura re-baptized the Uganda Police Force officers who attended the function, calling them ‘community organizers.'

He further pledged to build a community hall for the people of Kirika to complement the new police station.

In attendance were the RDCs of Kibuku and Pallisa, LCV chairpersons of Kibuku and Budaka districts, area MPs, religious leaders and the local leaders.

At the same function, residents donated land to Police to construct more stations.