Police Council empowers RPCs to make transfers

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | Regional Police Commanders –RPCs will soon start transferring non-gazetted officers under their jurisdiction, URN has learnt. The Deputy Police Spokesperson, Polly Namaye, says the Police Council resolved last week to empower RPCs to transfer non gazetted officers under their jurisdiction. These include all policemen and policewomen below the rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police –ASP, which range from Police constable to Inspector of Police –IP.

She however, says the RPCs will first have to consult with Police Placement Committee that was created during the 25th Police Council meeting that sat at Police headquarters last week before they effect the transfers.

The Police Placement Committee will be responsible for transferring police officers in the senior category starting with ASP to Senior Commissioner of Police –SCP. Police directors who are mostly at the rank of Assistant Inspector General of Police –AIGP can be transferred by the Inspector General of Police –IGP.

Previously, most transfers were handled by the Director Human Resource Management –HRM or commissioner under the HRM. According to the new arrangement, HRM director will chair the Placement Committee but cannot solely make decisions.

The RPCs will only be able to effect the transfers once the restructuring of command structure is completed. The Chief Political Commissar Uganda Police Force –CPC Asan Kasingye last weekend said restructuring the command structure will include promoting all officers in strategic command positions so that police officers hold offices matching their ranks.

Kasingye said a resolution had been made by Police Council that all District Police Commanders –DPC must be at the rank of Superintendent of Police –SP while RPCs must be Assistant Commissioners of Police –ACP. Apparently, the police command structure is disorganized as several DPCs are just ASPs, a rank supposed to be for Officers in Charge –OC police stations while the biggest number of RPCs is Senior Superintendents of Police –SSPs or SPs.

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URN