Police officers who arrest suspects before establishing their connection to alleged offences risk exposing the Uganda Police Force (UPF) to costly court battles, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Abas Byakagaba has warned.
The IGP has challenged police commanders to rein in officers who detain people without sufficient grounds, saying UPF must stop treating arrest and detention as punishment for suspected offenders.
He said, according to the reporting by the New Vision on Friday, that investigations should establish reasonable grounds for arrest before a suspect is taken into custody, rather than police officers arresting people and subsequently searching for evidence to justify their actions.
“Before you arrest somebody, you must have leads. You must have something that connects that person to the offence. You cannot just arrest people without proper grounds and then begin looking for evidence. We must follow the right processes and apply the law judiciously,” he said.
The IGP delivered the warning during a meeting with commanders at Police headquarters in Naguru, Kampala, where he also raised concerns about motorists whose vehicles remain impounded for unnecessarily long periods.
He questioned why drivers suspected of traffic offences should be detained when police can use technology to identify offenders and summon them to record statements or appear in court.
Byakagaba said some impounded vehicles are kept for so long that they eventually become scrap, creating unnecessary losses and exposing the police to claims arising from unlawful actions.
He directed commanders to ensure that officers handle suspects and impounded property within the law, warning that violations could result in financial liabilities for the institution.
Security and ethics expert Veronica Watsemba, the same publication reports that she said police professionalism depends on officers respecting citizens’ rights while carrying out their law enforcement duties.
“A professional police force must balance its authority with responsibility. When officers respect the law, uphold human rights and remain accountable for their actions, communities are more willing to co-operate with them in fighting crime,” she said.
The meeting brought together commanders from UPF’s 32 policing regions, including regional and district commanders, as well as heads of the Criminal Investigations Directorate and Crime Intelligence.
