UMI to skill Police in leadership skills

LEADERSHIP | SECURITY |

The Uganda Police Force (UPF) has started a series of trainings of its senior officers in a move that is expected to raise their level of professionalism and improve their working relationship with the public.

The Police said on Monday that the training is to be provided by Uganda Management Institute (UMI) in Kampala.

The trainees will be drawn from several directorates and departments and the course will benefit officers who have any managerial responsibilities at the UPF.

AIGP Godfrey Golooba, who is UPF's director Human Resource Development Training, made the revelation as he officiated at the graduation ceremony of 20 senior police officers, who completed certificate courses in leadership at UMI on Monday.

UPF is being confronted by a number of challenges, some of which include its declining public image over its handling of political actors. This, Golooba said, has necessitated them to readjust their training approaches.

"We are dealing with human life and protection of people's property. Therefore, as an enforcement agency we need to be experts at what we are doing," he said. 

He said the training will not only improve UPF's productivity and operational performance, but will also inculcate the required skills in their officers in order for them to meet the demands of the modern-day police officer.


Addressing the graduates, James Nkata, the UMI Director-General, called upon other government agencies to follow Police's example, adding that prioritizing leadership training is key to any entity that seeks to progress in its operations.

He said institutions such as the Judiciary have made it mandatory for all staff vying for leadership positions to have leadership training from UMI.

"You will not become a judge in Uganda unless you have acquired a leadership certificate from UMI," he revealed. 

Dr Juliet Atwebembeire, the course manager of Police training at UMI, said the training for the police includes community policing, information technology, project monitoring and evaluation, human resource management among other modules.