Appointing UPDF officers to police could be detrimental to keeping order

President Museveni this week made significant changes in the Uganda Police Force senior command structure. The appointment of four senior Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) officers into strategic positions in the police has surprised many.
The changes include creation of a department, the police chief of joint staff, which will be headed by Brig Jackson Bakasumba. The new director of police crime intelligence is Col Sserunjogi Ddamulira and Brig Geoffrey Golooba is the new police director of human resource development and training.

According to army spokesperson, Brig Richard Karemire, “Some of our officers have been sent to help our brothers as they build their capacity.” Although the recent appointments may have been intended to improve police administration, personnel management, training and intelligence, there is scepticism around the appointments.
The appointment of four UPDF army officers into police may have more to it than enhancement opportunities. The background of some of the army officers indicates intensive military experience at battle fronts in Somalia. There is fear among some members of the public that community policing and battlefront military engagements are completely different. The public could easily end up being caught in the crossfire.

According to a 2012 research finding by the University of Texas in the United States, military personnel serving in the local police were more likely to be involved in shooting accidents. The research that was done for more than 10 years concluded that police officers with military experience and background were significantly more likely to discharge their firearm while on duty than policemen without military service.
The research did not, however, identify at length the reasons behind why police officers with military background performed or reacted more aggressively than police officers without military training.

The assumption is that this could be due to the differences in the level of training soldiers go through in alignment to a particular mindset of war that is significantly different from police training. This includes a combat military mindset that might see soldiers more inclined to a position of “when in doubt, shoot first and ask questions later” disposition.

The creed taken by US soldiers at the start of their training encourages them to engage and destroy the enemies of the United States in close combat. By contrast, the US police oath of office is very different and instead talks about upholding human rights, protecting, defending, serving the constitution as well as protecting civilians together with their property and only executing deadly force as a last resort.

The military on the other hand by the nature of its training uses violence, purely designed for war under chaotic situations.
In Uganda, it is unclear how the police and army senior management intend to reconcile the glaring differences in mindset: the training, oaths of office, background and experience in executing their duties while at the same time keeping the public out of harm’s way.

The perception and public mood is that since these two positions may be difficult to reconcile, the public may be left brutalised and ultimately on the receiving end of violence from the army men.
The other issue of concern is that since the commander-in-chief of the armed forces is also President and NRM flag bearer for 2021, it will distort the playing field ahead of the general election.

Ms Victoria Nyeko is a media commentator.
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Twitter:@VictoriaNyeko