It is my pleasure to officiate at this scientific pass out of yet another cohort of the Intermediate Command and Staff Course intake 005/2020-2021 at the Police Senior Command and Staff College, Bwebajja. I warmly welcome you to this function as we yet again take stock of the systematic career development and training of officers in UPF.
This course, like other career development courses, will go a long in addressing policing requirements and gaps that exist in the fulfillment of our mandate.
The College was established to build operational, strategic and specialized capabilities of the Uganda Police Force in order to meet the increasing security and crime challenges in the policing sector, locally and internationally.
Uganda Police Force attaches a lot of importance in training and this career development course you have undertaken is one way of fulfilling our Mandate, Vision and Mission. This is because professionalism is only possible if one is knowledgeable, ethical and skilled. Knowledge cannot be achieved without training to enable officers remain relevant in today’s policing complex and sophisticated environment. I’m glad UPF has taken pragmatic steps to provide cutting-edge theoretical and empirical training to officers, who are prepared for various assignments in the ever-changing law enforcement environment.
To the participants, a huge investment has been placed on you during the four months training and we expect dividends from you. I’m sure this course has exposed you to various leadership and management practices especially servant leadership skills, Command and Policing skills, protection of human rights of all people and human security, peacebuilding and conflict resolution skills among others.
I, therefore, expect you to add value to the organization and to the wider community by being able to;
- Plan and conduct Police operations.
- Develop and apply leadership and management best practices.
- Apply investigative and intelligence skills.
- Undertake Police staff duties at both tactical and operational levels.
- Observe, promote and protect Human Rights.
- Demonstrate knowledge of political consciousness and ideological orientation.
Allow me extend my appreciation to the College Management Committee, Commandant and his team and the various partners who have contributed towards the Human Resource Development in Uganda Police Force especially; – Makerere University (College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of law), International Committee of the Red Cross, Uganda and International Conference on the Great Lakes Region –Regional Training Facility on Sexual Gender Based Violence to mention but a few.
The Uganda Police Force Management commits its self to upgrade the College to match international standards by continually improving on the physical structure, Human Resource, Information and Communication capabilities among others.
I congratulate the officers who have completed the Intermediate Command and Staff Course for your well-deserved achievement given the intense and worthwhile training you have undergone amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic. Thank you for dedicating yourselves to study amidst personal and domestic demands.
I thank you all and do appeal to us all to continue observing and enforcing the COVID-19 guidelines to curb the pandemic as we Protect and Serve.
With the above remarks, I declare the Intermediate and Staff Course 005/2020-2021 officially closed.
FOR GOD AND MY COUNTRY
J.M. Okoth-Ochola, (Esq.)
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
