Uganda Police Deploys 1,275 Counter Phones to Sub-County Stations, Urges Public to Stop Calling Individual Officers

Uganda Police have installed at least 1,275 counter phone lines across operational sub-county police stations. This move aims to enhance timely incident reporting and steer the public away from dialing personal numbers of known officers.

The initiative stems from the Sub County Policing Model (SCPM), inspired by President Museveni’s guidance at the 25th Annual Police Council in Kampala in 2019.

Police spokesperson Assistant Commissioner Kituuma Rusoke emphasized during a Monday briefing in Kampala that contacting individual officers delays official responses and skips proper protocols. He recommended that citizens save counter phone numbers for their residential, work, or business areas.

“Officers can be reached only for disciplinary matters,” Rusoke noted, adding that having direct contacts ensures quick intervention for issues like those in apartments, estates, or rural farms.

Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) and Public Relations Officers (PROs) are mobilizing communities to adopt these numbers for better service.

Rusoke highlighted how investigations suffer when victims lack direct police contacts, leading to time-wasting chains through friends and distorted information by the time it reaches authorities.

Despite this progress, challenges persist, including limited awareness of local numbers, delays via 999 or 112, technical glitches in emergency lines, and public trust issues stemming from past concerns over rights violations and bias.

Source: Daily Monitor