Police Canine unit receives 10 brand new customised pickups
“Before, a dog handler has been going to the scenes of crime alone, but he is not an investigator; he only aids Investigations. Investigation is teamwork, which includes criminal investigators from the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID), SOCOs and specialists from the police forensics department,” Mugume explained.
Mugume revealed that purchasing and customising each new vehicle cost approximately sh280m. The vehicles were procured from Toyota Uganda. (Credit: Paul Kiwuuwa)
KAMPALA - In an effort to upgrade the operational capabilities of the Canine Unit across the country, the Uganda Police Force has procured 10 brand-new specialised canine pick-up trucks.
Dr Martin Mugume, the commandant of the Police Canine Unit, in an interview with New Vision on Tuesday (September 15) at the Police Canine Unit Nsambya, revealed that: “Unlike standard trucks, these pickups are specially customised to safely transport a full operational team, which includes the canine handler, two sniffer dogs, scene-of-crime officers (SOCOs) and investigators.”
Mugume revealed that purchasing and customising each new vehicle cost approximately sh280m. The vehicles were procured from Toyota Uganda.
“Before, a dog handler has been going to the scenes of crime alone, but he is not an investigator; he only aids Investigations. Investigation is teamwork, which includes criminal investigators from the Criminal Investigation Directorate (CID), SOCOs and specialists from the police forensics department,” Mugume explained.
According to Mugume, this is a new innovation in crime scene management. "It involves different stakeholders from the investigators responsible for managing and processing the scene, to those arresting the suspect, timely recovery of exhibits, processing the case file, and sending it to the relevant officers for advice, which subsequently leads to prosecution.”
Some of the 10 customised Police Canine Unit vehicles which were handed over by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dr. James Ocaya to Dr Martin Mugume (L), the commandant of the Police Canine Unit at Naguru Police headquarters Kampala on September 14, 2026. (Credit: Paul Kiwuuwa)
Earlier on Friday (September 11), the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dr. James Ocaya, unveiled the vehicles at the police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala. Ocaya said, "It is part of efforts to strengthen the Canine Unit and enhance its operational capacity."
Ocaya said the fleet will be distributed to the 10 cities in the first phase of equipping the unit, with the new vehicles expected to improve the deployment of canine teams and their response to scenes of crime.
The ten cities include Kampala, Fort Portal, Gulu, Hoima, Jinja, Lira, Masaka, Mbarara, Mbale, Soroti.
He said the new transport would enable the unit to operate more efficiently, adding that the public should expect increased vigilance and faster responses to scenes of crime.
"This deployment will help the police beat the 48-hour rule for processing suspects by fast-tracking immediate investigations right at the scene of the crime," observed Ocaya.
He strongly cautioned officers against demanding transport money from citizens when tracking crime scenes, saying the canine services were free.
The Police canine unit, which is headquartered at Nsambya Police Barracks in Kampala, assists the Police in tracking criminal suspects, recovering stolen property, detecting narcotics and explosives, and assisting with search and rescue operations.
The unit currently operates a breeding centre in Naggalama to raise local dogs, reducing reliance on costly imports and expanding services to various districts.