Police warns business owners against diverting security guards

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The police have warned business owners and individuals against diverting security guards and escorts to duties they are not meant for.

Police agencies such as Crime Intelligence (CI), Flying Squad Unit (FSU), and Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) have listed diversion of guards as one of the loopholes criminals are exploiting to execute their robberies during the day and night hours.

Some of the incidents that police say were successfully executed by armed thugs because the guards had been diverted is last month’s robbery at Spice Supermarket in Mukono.

Investigators have since established that the criminals took time, studied the place, and realized that the guard would often be assigned to help clients carry their merchandise to their cars.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga says that premises that usually keep huge amounts of cash should tighten security but also ensure the guards are vigilant at all times.

Grace Matsiko, The Uganda Private Security Association (TUPSA) Chairman, says sometimes clients argue with guards who tell them that helping clients or going shopping is not part of their duties.

Matsiko explains that there are clients who have gone as far as terminating contracts because guards refused to carry bags, go shopping, or offload merchandise on vehicles. He adds that before any guard is deployed, they should be informed of their duties.

Edward Ochom, the Director of Police Operations, earlier warned police escorts against being turned into handbag handlers, and house helpers. Ochom said every police escort should know his or her duties and reject anything that is outside their mandate. He wonders why a police officer accepts to be turned into a herdsman.

Matsiko added that diverting escorts or guards shows that the public has not known the importance of such people being vigilant and attentive at all times. Matsiko explained that once a guard is used to being diverted, robbers study the patterns and strike with confidence.

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