Uganda Police Force - Protect and Serve

The Unit is under the direct command of the IGP

Relates with other police directorates as need arises.

It is a specialized unit of the Police which handles Public order Policing (P.O.P)

Public order Policing: This is the major mandate which includes Policing and Management of assemblies, demonstrations, Riots, Soccer hooliganism processions e.t.c.
Protective Security: i.e. Guards of vital installations and Escort duties
Motorized Highway Patrol i.e. Policing highway crimes.
Support Policing, in form of detaches in various parts of the country (mostly in areas of heightened crime).
Reinforcing Kampala Metropolitan Police in Policing i.e.

Soon to handle international policing by Deploying Formed Police Units (Fuse) for UN peace keeping Missions.

Enabling Legislation
1995 Constitution: Article 29: which specifies freedoms of;-
Expression
Conscience
Movement
Assembly and Association.
Article 29 (d) gives freedom to assemble and demonstrate together with others- Peacefully and unarmed.
Article 29(e) gives freedom to associate, form and join associations or unions, political and other civic organizations.
Sect. 43 gives limitations to freedoms and rights.

Protect life and property.
Preserve law and order.
Prevent and detect crime.
Cooperate with civilian authority and security organs established under constitution with the population generally.

Gathering of persons three or more.
Unlawful purpose.
May endanger public peace and tranquility
May cause alarm and apprehension.
With an intent to committing an offence. sect 65 (1) PCA.

Sect. 34- defines unlawful assembly in line with sect. 65 of PCA.
Sect. 32 gives police powers to regulate assemblies/ processions.
Sect. 32 (2) and (3) gives powers to the IGP to regulate. (Challenged in Constitutional Court)
Sect. 33 empowers Police to stop and disperse.
Sect. 36 dispersal after order to terminate.
Sect. 37 penalties.

MPPU constitutes 12% of the total force.
MPPU has personnel throughout the whole country mostly doing support policing, highway patrols and P.O.P activities.

The magnitude of the incident.
The manpower available.
The available equipment.
Availability of personnel trained in P.O.P.
The Police Officer in Command of the Riot operation must judge what action is necessary and what force must be employed to meet a particular situation.
The officer in charge of the Riot Unit must be prepared to act on his own initiative and intuition and take resolute and decisive action to maintain command, and confidence of his men and to secure dominance over the crowd.
Riot action should never be undertaken with a force of men that is obviously inadequate in numbers and equipment. Any officer finding himself in this position will tactfully endeavor to hold off action until reinforced.
There should be no use of force that is more than is necessary to disperse the crowd. Proportionate force that is in a reasonable equilibrium with that of rioters must at all times be used.
NB: When ever force is to be used, a warning will be given to the riotous crowd that force would be used if they fail to disperse.
When it’s necessary to open fire, the Police will not under any circumstances use live ammunitions unless the situation warrants in response to a similarly dangerous weapon from the rioters. The order to use fire arms must be given by the Commander who must be a senior Police officer on the spot.
Firing of volleys is seldom necessarily, but may be resorted to in extreme cases. Usually, individual shots by selected men at specific targets named by Commander e.g. ring leaders or men inciting the crowd are effective.
Firing and use of tear gas must cease as soon as the crowd shows inclination to disperse.
Firing of volleys is seldom necessarily, but may be resorted to in extreme cases. Usually, individual shots by selected men at specific targets named by Commander e.g. ring leaders or men inciting the crowd are effective.
Firing and use of tear gas must cease as soon as the crowd shows inclination to disperse.
Use of rubber bullet against rioters should be effected with utter care keeping in mind that rubber bullets will kill at a shorter distance of 20 metres and below. Rubber bullets should never be used without a calculated decision and order from the commander. They should never be directed at the heads and pressure points of rioters at a short range.
Police disposition at the scene of the riot must be made in such a way as to prevent the formation from being overcome by the rioters.
Care must be taken to ensure the safety of Police transport by having it properly guarded.
Men must on no account allow themselves to be drawn in the crowd. If this occurs, individual causalities will most likely ensue which may have disastrous consequences.
If tear gas is available and conditions suitable, then, it is advisable that this form of force be used and other non-lethal weapons. Rifle fire should be a last resort.
Early or immediate steps will be taken to render first Aid to all injured persons whether Police or Members of the public.
Arrangements must be made to remove suspects from the field, immediately they are arrested. Rioters / demonstrators are momentary opponents. Should they run away, well and good.
Field operators must cooperate with GSG/T for post riot crime management
In circumstances of dispersing riotous assemblies, ground commander should desist from operating with other armed personnel who are not trained for such an activity. This is for accountability. This is to avoid repercussions in case an armed Policeman or members of a friendly force were to shoot at a rioter using deadly ammunition.

Audible words of proclamation must be sounded to the assembled rioters. The area DPC or RPC should preferably proclaim these words before the action of dispersing rioters begins.
In case of the absence/ inability of any of the above to proclaim, then the action Unit will use an officer permitted to proclaim whom they have moved with as the Commander (if available).
Permitted personnel are of the Rank of Inspector of Police and above, magistrate, a commissioned officer in the armed forces of Uganda.

Rioters are momentary opponents not to be treated as enemies.
No use of unnecessary force. If any force is to be used, should be;-

Officer presence for psychological intimidation.
Voice command- to elicit compliance.
Empty hand / soft technique.
Hand empty hand technique against active non armed resistance.
Strikes stuns, use of tear gas, batons…against active aggression.
Deadly force against lethal weapons.

The 3Cs are very important in P.O.P deployments.
In P.O.P, are TERRITORIAL and OPERATIONAL commanders.
The 3Cs are very important in P.O.P deployments.
In P.O.P, are TERRITORIAL and OPERATIONAL commanders.

RPCs and DPCs of areas of operation.

gathering operational intelligence
Providing ground maps/ layout of areas of operation for easy deployment.
Act as first line in the levels of use of force.
Making proclamations before dispersal of rioters.

Negotiators (where police input is required

Handle role of Public relations.

MPPU officer commanding Anti riot force.

Command and control of men under him/her.

Use of field tactics and equipment
Making professional decisions in the field.
Co-ordination of intelligence gathered and its immediate utilization for operational duties.
Communicating and giving updates to supervisor.
Logging (chronological recording of events).

PETE is the catch word here

Deployment of at least a well equipped a squad at district level
Introducing aspects inward forward intelligence teams
More specialization
Proper equipment to handle all aspects of civil disorder
Establishment of a fully fledged training school for the unit
Expansion and staffing to 12,000 personnel
Develop forward intelligence teams