Crime drops by 9% - New Police report

Police officers arrest a man at Makerere University in Kampala during the recently concluded elections. Most people arrested during elections were accused of committing crimes such as unlawful assemblies. PHOTO /ALEX ESAGALA

What you need to know:

  • The volume of crimes has dropped by more than seven per cent in one year compared to the previous one.

Police are set to release the 2020 annual crime and traffic safety report today that indicates a drop in the volume of crimes by nearly nine per cent.
Unofficial police figures indicate that there were 195,931 cases reported across the country in 2020 compared to 215,224 reported in 2019, indicating a decrease in reported criminal cases by 8.9 per cent.”

The volume of crimes has dropped by more than seven per cent in one year compared to the previous one.
This is attributed to restrictions on movement of persons and vehicles and closure of businesses as measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.
From March to December 2020, the country was under lockdown.

Heavy deployment of security personnel has also contributed to the drop of the crimes.
The closure of businesses such as bars reduced crimes like common assault, obtaining money by false pretence and threatening violence.
Such crimes contribute more than 30 per cent of the total volume of crimes committed annually.

Traffic report
The report is also expected to show a drop in traffic and road safety incidents, especially among boda bodas and public service vehicles, given the fact that many cars were parked  during lockdown. Revenues from traffic Express Penalty Scheme are also expected to drop because few cars operated on the road last year.

While handing over office to Maj Gen Paul Lokech in December last year, the former Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeyi, said he left with a reduced volume of criminality.  He attributed it to installation of CCTV cameras in urban areas.