It is my pleasure today to be here at the Police Training School Kabalye, to give the last address as we prepare for the final pass out ceremony tomorrow.
First, I thank the Director HRD and your team at Police Headquarters, Police Training School team and all those who, within this period, were able to recruit, transform, instruct and nurture these men and women to the end products which I see today.
To the trainees: From the reports I received from the Director HRD and Commandant on your training, there is ample evidence that you have been shaped and have come out refined and ready to contribute to the efforts of preserving the security of our country.
Your good conduct during training shows us that you came here willing to become good officers whom we will rely on as a country. I am hopeful that you will continue to behave and carry yourselves in a manner that will make the country proud.
After your pass out, you will be posted to different units where you will begin your civil service career. As the newest generation of trained police and immigration officers, you will face some challenges and high public expectations.
From the onset, I want to assure and caution you that Policing or immigration is a rewarding career. But the rewards of these professions are for those who are disciplined, committed, patriotic and patient. Therefore, you must have the following if you are to succeed: –
1. Discipline. Discipline is the paramount and cardinal hallmark of your life as a Police or immigration officer and it applies to all aspects of your career in the service, even after retirement. We are currently emphasizing zero tolerance for indiscipline and unprofessional conduct.
2. Lead a simple but meaningful life – have a simple lifestyle. You should liberate yourselves from stress.
3. You need to also make out time for your personal development which will go a long way in adding value to your service.
4. Protect yourselves from preventable diseases resulting from reckless sexual lifestyles.
5. Socially, take time to make the right choice of the spouse/partner you intend to live with. The domestic environment has a great bearing on Policing duties.
6. Avoid corrupt practices in all forms that may include soliciting, receiving etc.
7. Avoid lamentations or gossips and handle all assignments in a planned manner in order to produce results.
8. Engage in productive economic activities during your free time to supplement your monthly salaries. You must plan for your retirement the day you earn your first salary.
9. Keep and maintain properly any government property given to you.
10. Do not allow yourselves to be easily manipulated by negative pressures and influences around you. As officers, be firm and steadfast.
11. Use the established channels of communication with regards to official matters, correspondences and even expression of grievances.
12. I also implore you to be just. Do everything in strict accordance with the law in a fair and selfless manner.
13. Similarly, have a high degree of self-discipline and integrity and not to succumb to the temptation of money or be corrupted by power. Wearing a gun on duty makes you powerful. But when you discharge your duties, never do things recklessly or subject yourselves to bad influence.
14. Embrace trainings. Your pass- out is coming at a period when the country is experiencing new trends of organized crimes and civil unrest. You will be exposed to further training in your line of specialization and from time to time attend courses or trainings. In the Forces, training never ends, and your pass out, is only the beginning of a lifelong training.
As you pass- out, you will encounter some few challenges but government and Police Management remain committed to all police modernization programs. The government has revised salaries of our officers, financed our duty-free shops and also expended substantial sums of money to bring in some modern equipment, so that the institution and its officers can fight crime effectively.
Equally, the management has initiated a number of infrastructural developments to cater for both residential and office accommodation.
As I conclude, I reiterate the commitment of UPF Management to build a pro- people institution that is ready to uphold the dignity of our citizens. As new recruits, therefore, you are implored to dedicate yourselves to the ideal of professionalism in executing your tasks. This is the only thing that our fellow Ugandans want in return.
With the above remarks, I congratulate you all for going through this period of training and enduring the difficulties associated with such training. I also want to congratulate your families, in their absentia, who have stood by you and given you all the moral support needed to go through the training.
I specifically want to commend the Director HRD and your team, the Commandant, officers and the instructors for the good job that was perfected within this period leading to this auspicious brief.
Thank you for listening to me.
J.M. Okoth-Ochola, (ESQ)
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
