It is my pleasure to present the Uganda Police Force Annual Crime Report for the year 2021. As explained in the 2020 Report, the Annual Crime Reports help us to account to the population on how the Uganda Police Force is fulfilling its mandate as stipulated under Article 212 of the Constitution of Uganda.
In our 2020 Annual Crime Report, we identified some of the challenges, strategies and recommendations that the Uganda Police Force was to adopt in fighting crime. In this 2021 Annual Crime Report, we account for the progress the Institution made in fulfilling the task and again, set out a new Crime Plan, including how we are to tackle the key priorities.
Generally, in the year 2021, there was a 0.1% increase in the volume of crimes reported to Police from 195,931 cases reported in the year 2020 to 196,081 cases in 2021. These crime trends were greatly influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the subsequent opening of all sectors of the economy. The details on management and performance, Crime distribution, status and gravity of the reported cases are all discussed in the Report.
Focusing ahead, as we continue to address the common challenges of policing, our other critical tasks in the year 2022 are to: –
Improve the quality of services we offer to the public
Engage communities through our community policing programs aimed at building a stronger trust between the police and the population
Enhance officer training to improve the use of modern technologies.
Have highly trained professional Police officers who match courage with compassion, care and understanding of the population.
Digitalize and integrate crime records for purposes of easy detection, reporting, tracking, supervision and analysis of crime trends.
Since crime management is not a single spine function for the Criminal Investigations Directorate, all Police Directorates are required to play their respective roles towards crime management and reduction, setting crime performance targets and standards against which they will be periodically measured. For quick and effective monitoring of crime trends, the Police Management also plans to release quarterly crime reports to the public.
Critically, challenges of staff welfare, motivation and satisfaction are relevant in policing. The Uganda Police Force management is focusing on improving the welfare of all its personnel especially addressing the pertinent question of accommodation to achieve good staff performance and satisfaction.
Meanwhile, I would like to thank the entire Police fraternity for continuing to keep the country safe. I also convey my gratitude to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, sister security Agencies, JLOS Partners, the media and the public for their support in fighting crime.
On a special note, I register my appreciation to H.E. The President of the Republic of Uganda who continuously guides and supports the Uganda Police Force in fighting crime.
Finally, I urge all Ugandans to continue the fight against crime for a safer Uganda. As the Institution releases last year’s Police Annual Crime Report, we look forward for suggestions and feedback for improvement in securing our Country.
JM OKOTH OCHOLA
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
18TH.MAY2022
