‘80% of CIID police officers incompetent’

Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi

Kampala.

More than 80 per cent of police officers in the investigations department lack basic knowledge on scrutinising exhibits, Mr Andrew Felix Kaweesi, the director of human resource at the Force, has said.

Mr Kaweesi said majority of the police officers cannot vividly analyse the various types of drugs and other crime-related exhibits, which jeorpadises investigations.

“How can someone who cannot vividly analyse an exhibit make a reliable report? If you cannot describe the various narcotic drugs, then how will you combat drug-related crimes? A big number of our police officers cannot tell how heroin or cocaine looks like,” he said.

Mr Kaweesi made the remarks while opening a one-week forensic training for 25 police officers from the Criminal Investigations Department, Entebbe Airport and the Police Forensic Department.

The training is being conducted by forensic experts from Germany.

“This training has come at a time when drug trafficking is on the high. We believe the training will help our officers get enough skills in combating drug related offences,” he said.
Mr Kaweesi was also dismayed by police officers who stammer while attesting in court, saying this delays case proceedings and depicts the Force as having inexperienced staff.

Mr Kaweesi said police officers in the investigations department would start doing exams every after two years in order to check their intelligence and alertness.
He added that police officers trained with specialised skills would no longer be transferred to other sections so as to maintain expertise in various units.

According to Mr Kaweesi, traffic police officers will also do exams because they also lack basic mechanic skills.