The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A review of specialized police units’ contribution to fighting crime in the country has revealed that sniffer dogs have helped in arresting 7,203 suspects of murder, robbery and sexual related offences.
The analysis was conducted last month by the Directorate of Research and Planning which was headed by AIGP Edward Ochom working alongside the Political Commissariat headed by AIGP Asan Kasingye and the Criminal Investigations Directorate led by AIGP Grace Akullo.
Police attributes the big number of suspects arrested using sniffer dogs to the attachment of canine units to more than 71 major districts and division police stations across the country.
“Consequently, the number of suspects arrested using canines have increased from 5,508 to 7,203 in the same period. Increased the number of police districts with canine services from 50 in financial year 2015/2016 to 71 in financial year 2018/2019,” reads the review report.
Police plans to attach sniffer dogs to all newly constructed police stations in the districts of Kabale, Nakaseke, Mitooma, Ibanda, Isingiro, Kyenjojo, Kyotera, Bududa, Paidha, Pakwach, Nwoya, Rubirizi, Wakiso, Kayunga, Luuka, Namutumba, Serere, Sironko, Omoro, Budaka, Lyantonde, Nateete, Kiruhura and Mityana.
AIGP Akullo in her crime report of last year indicated that 7,573 tracings were carried out using canine units leading to the arrest of 3,510 murder, theft, robbery and burglary suspects. Out of 3,510 suspects arrested using police dogs the previous year, 2,850 were males, four hundred eighty-seven females and one hundred seventy-two juveniles.
“Canine evidence was used against 1,303 persons taken to court out of whom, 527 persons were convicted. A total of 1,469 exhibits were recovered through the use of K9 to support investigations,” Akullo states in her report.
Police believe strengthening the canine unit is one of the major units that have led to the 28 percent crime reduction in the last four years. Uganda, according to police, registered a decline in the crime rate by 28 percent from 742 in 2015 to 534 per 100,000 persons in 2019.
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