IGP Ochola, after Museveni’s order, unveils handbook on use of firearms

The Uganda Police Force has created a handbook containing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) that will guide law enforcement officers while handling firearms and carrying out other operations.

According to Police Spokesman Fred Enanga, 50,000 copies have been released to help the force “minimize operational mistakes”.

The development comes after President Museveni in mid-September directed John Martins Okoth Ochola, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to put an end to what he termed as “random shootings”, citing some incidents that had occurred during NRM primaries.

“I am writing to direct you to stop the random shootings by the LDUs and Police, all under the command of the Police,” Museveni wrote in a letter to the IGP, which was also copied to a number of senior government officials.

As a means to end the misuse of guns, the president ordered the IGP to produce a booklet showing how armed officers should use guns when dealing with the public.

According to the police spokesman, the SOPs are organized into 15 categories that include; use of force, use of firearms, principles on the use of lethal force, warning by use of loudspeakers, public meetings that become riotous, procedure for dispersal and warning shots.

Others are unauthorized use of lethal force, use of force techniques, restoration to normal activities, post armed confrontation management, investigations about the armed confrontation, after-action reporting and after-action review.

“We would like to caution that the SOPs cannot anticipate every type of incident that officers may encounter, but they must consider the rapidly changing dynamics of any policing situation,” he said.

“The IGP has appealed to all officers to be conversant with the provisions in these SOPs, as the main guidelines in the use of force and firearms during police operations. We hope it will assist them in ensuring firearms are used in the most appropriate and effective manner possible.”