A senior officer in the Intelligence Directorate, who preferred anonymity, told URN that more than three quarters of the Crime Intelligence personnel have never undergone training in Intelligence and can barely gather simple intelligence.
More than 3,000 Crime Intelligence Officers are to under a refresher course at Kabalye Police Training school. Andrew Felix Kaweesi, the Human Resource Development Director, Uganda Police Force, says “Just like the Flying Squad personnel, we are sending all crime intelligence Personnel for a refresher course. We shall make a formal communication soon.”
According to police sources, the officers are preparing themselves for the training, which is scheduled to start next month. Crime Intelligence was elevated to a Directorate about a year and a half ago. It was previously under the Division of the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID).
At the time of its elevation, there were 2600 Crime Intelligence Officers personnel spread across the country. 400 more officers have since been added to the Directorate. A senior officer in the Intelligence Directorate, who preferred anonymity, told URN that more than three quarters of the Crime Intelligence personnel have never undergone training in Intelligence and can barely gather simple intelligence.
"Some of these officers cannot differentiate between rumors and intelligence information," the officer says. Police has been operating mainly on information gathered by informers and crime preventers yet personnel are paid to gather intelligence.
The officers await information from informers and members of the public, which they transmit to their Bugolobi based headquarters before it is even verified. Following a series of meetings and in house trainings, the directorate requested for a refresher course for all personnel after, which the officers will be vetted for ability to gather intelligence.
Dear Jeanne
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